Only In Fiction
by MotherNight92
Summary: This was Uzumaki Naruto's complete and utter fault. If he had been more careful when dealing with his rather strange sensei, Uchiha Sasuke, he wouldn't have ended up in the horrible mess he's in now!
1. Chapter 01

**A/N: Here's the first installment of "Only In Fiction" on . I've actually written this for DA, and have a terrible habit of forgotten to update this site and because of it, I'm no longer writing the old fanfictions on here, however, I want to put this up here for fans here to read, since some of you guys don't own DA accounts. I'm only posting this one up though, since the other two are too far along to post up here. I might, depends on what I feel like doing. Anyways, here's the first chapter of Only In Fiction. I should be updating this soon, so please be patient.**

**ENJOY!  
**

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**Chapter One**

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It was around two o'clock in the afternoon on a beautiful, warm summers day when Uzumaki Naruto, the spiky blonde haired teenager stood in front of the lavish two story "mansion", twitching with both annoyance and hate at the owner who occupied the building. Of course, there was a perfectly good reason for him to be here, since the last few days of school had landed him here, in front of his language's teacher…Uchiha-sensei.

Better know as…the demon teacher!

Was he scared of this teacher? Well, that was a ridiculous question to ask since it was obvious he was and just like every other student who attended his language class. Of course, outside school, he worked with elder students who sometimes came onto the school grounds to see him and had claimed that Uchiha-sensei was actually a nice—and possibly odd—person. You just needed to…get to know him.

That's the last thing on _his_ mind. Befriending his sensei would kill him; however, here he was, going to spend nearly four days a week in his sensei's place for "extra" lessons since he had carelessly failed the last two terms.

Of course, he would soon be starting his final year, but the Principle had said that if he had gone for private, outside school lessons with his sensei and improved, he would not have to repeat the year. He did leap at the chance since he did not was to be stuck back in eleventh year for another _year_! So, it was more his fault—aka, failing language, leaping at the idea—than it was his sensei who had ruthlessly accepted and organized his free time…which was equaled to four days a week which were Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Those were going to be the days where he would spend three hours a day studying under his sensei's careful and watchful eye.

However, Naruto had seen a bright outcome in this!

His sensei was very hard and would push him to his limits, dump him with tons of "homework" where he would have to get done as soon as possible, mainly Wednesday homework since he would be back at Uchiha-sensei's place the next day, but in the end, he would have done enough to satisfy his sensei and then he would not be kept behind.

With all that in mind, one would be utterly confused on what to do. He was not sure if he should ring the door bell, or walk in so he stood there confused for a long moment before he reached for the door bell and pressed it and waited.

The voices he heard moment ago stopped and there was a noise before the door opened and Naruto found him face to face with his sensei. The man standing in front of him open the door and said in his low voice "come in, Uzumaki-kun," before he stepped away from the door and walked back to the couch where a woman sat.

Shutting the door after him, Naruto looked around the even more lavish house and almost whistled at it's neatness besides the piles of paper on the table in front of him. Once eying the papers, he looked at the woman who was carefully reading through the papers, nodding at times and maybe even smiling every now and then.

His sensei looked at him for a moment and said "I'll be with you in a moment, so if you want to sit down, you can."

Well, he had gotten the impression his sensei liked leaving his guest standing but he was not sure what he wanted to do. Seeing the arm chair, he plopped down in and looked around before his eyes fell on the large stack of paper on the table.

Everyone knew about Uchiha-sensei's other job, which was an author of course, and it was quite common to see him indulging in this other job at school. He always sat in that normal seat in the library, typing out his story on his laptop. Sometimes when Naruto went in the library, he always had one peek of Uchiha-sensei's shoulder to read what he was typing, and he began to wonder if this was the recent one he had been writing in the library?

The woman finally placed the paper down and smiled at him. "Another fantastic job, Sasuke-kun-" Naruto almost fell when he heard his sensei's first name spoken for one of the first times in his life "-and yet again, you've amazed me with the story."

Uchiha-sensei leaned back in his chair and smiled softly. That too shocked Naruto, seeing his teacher actually _smile_! "Ah, but you know I only do that to impress you, Sakura-san."

The woman waved her hand, "don't lie, Sasuke-kun. You're not doing writing for the purpose of impressing me."

"But I am trying to surprise you."

"Which you do so well," she laughed before standing and picking up the papers. "It should not take to long dealing with this," she said, looking up at him. "I pray you're starting on the next one?"

Uchiha-sensei frowned—very common for Uchiha's you see—before shaking his head. "I've got to help my student here," he directed to Naruto "before I can start on the next one. However, it will be done on time."

"Like always."

"Like always," he agreed before he showed the woman out.

Naruto sat there awkwardly, not sure on what to do. It was the first time being in this kind of environment so he was not quite sure what to be expected of. He knew he had to be somewhat polite since he was in someone else's place, but what was else expected of him…he was not quite sure of.

"Uzumaki," the voice startled Naruto, though it was not harsh or anything, it was just close.

"Y-Yes!" He cried, jumping to his feet and spun around to his sensei.

His sensei started at him before shrugging it off. "Can you please get your work out that I gave you at the end of the semester, so we can begin?"

"Ah, yes," he sat back down and fumbled through his bag for his book that had his work in as well as his gear he was going to need.

"Do you want anything to drink? I have soda in the fridge."

"Um…"

"You don't need to feel out of place Uzumaki," was the voice amused? Naruto was not sure, but he glanced at his sensei that politely had his back turned away from him.

"I-I know I shouldn't sir, it's just…um…"

"Strange?" he asked, turning to face him and slamming the fridge close. "That's understandable since all the student's who've come for private lessons have felt the same." He looked at his hand and rose it for Naruto to see. "Soda?"

Should he say yes? Naruto just nodded and thanked his sensei when he handed him the cold can of soda before he sat down on his right. "I've done what you asked me to do," Naruto said, opening his book. "If you'd like to check it."

Uchiha-sensei nodded and took the book when Naruto handed it, before pulling out his pen in his pocket to check. It defiantly strange to see his sensei so relaxed that it made Naruto somewhat very nervous. He looked so calm and comfortable slouching in the couch. Seemed at peace while he scanned his work, circling mistakes. It was making it hard for Naruto to see the sensei he knew at school and the man sitting in the chair here. Were they the same person…or was it an impostor?

Naruto shook his head lightly. Was he an idiot or something? If anyone looked like Uchiha-sensei, it would be amazing. Uchiha-sensei was one of a kind. Tall, handsome, and mysterious, and all down, a girls dream. What added to the man was the hint of seduction in his voice when he spoke in that low, calm voice that tended to have a hint of ice in it when he was annoyed or angry. His dark eyes seemed to sparkle in an odd way, but it did not matter what light you sat in, they were as black as the abyss. His hair, which was normally so neat, was slightly tussle, as if saying he had either just arisen from bed or hand been running his hands through carelessly, making the hair mess, yet still neat in some ways.

It was scary to think that girls could actually like him since he was very much a scary man. Of course, that was Naruto first and up-most impression of his sensei. Yet, here he was, looking so damn relaxed and settled that it was unnerving him.

And the way he flirted lightly with that woman…that too had shocked Naruto. They seemed to be real good friends, and he swore he was never like that around any teachers at school. So seeing him in like was also a surprise.

Then it slowly hit him. Was that woman his _editor_? If she was, well damn, she was bloody good looking. "Don't think about it."

Naruto jumped and looked at his sensei. How long had the man sat there and watched him as he dazed off? "P-Pardon?"

"About Haruno-san. I saw the way you were looking at her and I tell you, don't think about it." He was…smiling…_eeep_! He handed Naruto's book back. "She may look beautiful but she's a demon inside," he said calmly, his smile growing lightly. Damn it, he had to be mocking Naruto, that was the only way to explain it.

"B-But she seemed nice."

"She is…when she wants to be."

That did not sound good. "You make her sound evil."

"I guess I do," Uchiha-sensei gave himself a questioning look before shrugging. "However, she never given me that side before, but I have witness it before, and quite frankly, you don't want to get involved with her. Besides, she's ten years older than you."

_So that made her twenty-seven…which was also sensei's age_ Naruto calculated in his mind. _A really…pretty twenty-seven year old._

"Anyways," Uchiha-sensei's voice startled Naruto slightly. "I've looked through you're work, and circled through the areas I would like you to redo," he tapped the book on the table. "I would like you to start now, Uzumaki."

Naruto nodded and plopped himself on the floor so he work. He looked at it and frowned at one particular area before saying "did I do this wrong, sensei?" he pointed at the section.

Uchiha-sensei leaned forward and looked at it. "Not completely, you had the right idea, but I'd like to you to redo it." he leaned back and after a moment said, "haven't you used a dictionary before Uzumaki? Because it seems like you don't."

Naruto flinched and growled at the insult and mutter "how can you find a word you don't even know how to spell?"

His sensei started at him puzzled for a long moment before chuckling. "Same attitude," he said quietly before standing up. "I'll go get you a dictionary" and bolted from the room before Naruto could question what "same attitude" meant.

* * *

Naruto collapsed, groaning from the headache growing in his head. He finished, finally, after four hours—an hour over what was planned—and he was finally finished. It seemed to amuse his sensei by his action as he grinned and announced finishing his work before he collapsed there on the floor. He watched Uchiha-sensei as he carefully picked up his work and scanned it, tapping his red pen.

Sitting up, Naruto watched him, watching for any sign of a mistake or an error in his work when he soon noted his sensei was not going to give anything away. He frowned before he asked, "Where's your bathroom, sensei?"

His sensei looked up and pointed towards the corridor. "First on the left," he said before returning to look at his work.

Retreating, Naruto found the bathroom and almost hissed with annoyance but went to do his business all the same. It was still amazing him about how neat his sensei's house was. Of course, he had always known the man was neat and clean—expect when it came to his office at school—but he never imagined that his house was this clean

After finishing what he went to do, he washed his hands and stared at the large mirror and frowned. How could one man keep such a huge house so clean in the first place? Did he have a housekeeper of something? Not that it would surprise him if he did, since it seemed the man did.

He waltzed out and back to where his sensei was waiting when he noticed the woman coming in the house. His heart almost went a flutter when he saw her and noted very carefully…that was Hyuuga-sensei's _sister_! **(1)**

Watching his sensei who arose to talk to her, he noted something strange. He was very touchy, touchy with her, brushing away a strand of hair on her face, running his hand over her shoulders and kissing her lightly on the forehead and began to feel very, _very_ annoyed.

He had met Hyuuga-sensei's sister a few times when she had come to see her brother at school, her only being a year or two older than him and his friends. She was a lovely girl, always stuttering in speech, always blushing wildly like she was now, and being very shy and if dared say, very, _very_ cute.

Did Naruto like her? She was not exactly his type, but he had found her very adorable and kind-hearted. However, he did feel very jealous at the moment. Did this mean that she was very close to Uchiha-sensei or something, or was it something…else? "Ah, Uzumaki," Uchiha-sensei said, stepping back and shoving his hands in his pockets. "I've looked through your work. There are a few mistakes you can clear up and then you can leave."

Hyuuga-sensei's sister blushed when she noticed him and smiled shyly at him. "H-Hello, U-Uzumaki-kun."

Not sure if he could hide the jealously in his voice, he nodded to her and smiled before doing exactly as he was told. He did he best to ignore their conversation, which they had been polite and was talking quietly so he could do his work, but he could still hear them. He was absolutely sure Uchiha-sensei was flirting, and come on, he saw the way he touched her, and it was _obvious_ he was flirting with another…sensei's…_sister_.

He wondered if Hyuuga-sensei knew of this intimacy going on between his sister and his fellow teacher. Unless Hyuuga-sensei knew and approved of it…which would be horrible. How could they face each other if…?

Shaking his head to rid of the thoughts, Naruto stared at his work and began to frown. Why the hell was he jealous in the first place? Hyuuga-sensei's sister had a right to do what she wanted and when she wanted whether it involved Uchiha-sensei or not. He had no right stepping into their personal life or anything…

But _why_ was he so damn _jealous_?

"Well thank you for your visit, Hinata-san. I'll keep that in mind." Naruto looked up to the window and could see he was touching her lightly her face again. He narrowed his eyes, watching the way she turned away from the touch, going red again. Damn she was cute.

"O-Ok," she said, turning back and smiling at him. "I-I'll see you soon, S-Sasuke-kun."

"I look forward to it," he replied politely, and thankfully, did not touch her again.

"G-Good bye, U-Uzumaki-kun," she said, making Naruto turn around and smile at her before she turned away and disappeared out the door, with Uchiha-sensei closing the door behind her.

Watching Uchiha-sensei for moment, Naruto turned back to his work, ignoring the way his hand clenched around the pen. _Asshole_, he thought darkly, clenching the pen more. _Bastard!_

"Do you enjoy fraternizing in such a manner with a fellow sensei's _sister_?" Naruto hissed and realised all too late that Uchiha-sensei was close enough to hear him.

"Does that bother you, Uzumaki-kun?" Uchiha-sensei asked, sitting back down on the couch, looking rather annoyed.

"You were all _over_ her!" Naruto snapped, feeling very frustrated. "She's a fellow sensei's _sister_ for god's sake."

"And?"

"DOES IT FAZE YOU THAT IT'S WRONG?" Naruto roared, jumping to his feet. He realised all too late that he was the one wrong when Uchiha-sensei smirked at him, rather pleased with this outburst. _Bastard!_ Naruto sat back down and stared at his work, ignoring Uchiha-sensei.

"And how is it wrong, Uzumaki-kun?" He asked politely, despite the fact he found it rather amusing.

"Well…" Naruto chewed the end of his pen. How _was_ it wrong anyways. Ah, damn! He walked into that one.

"I take you're silence being you don't know and take into account that you're just jealous."

Naruto's teeth shattered the pen end and he turned to glare at his sensei who carelessly looked out the window, smirking at his proud victory. _Damn teachers thinking they are know it alls!_

As Naruto turned back to his work, his sensei spoke again. "So lets say it _is_ wrong and what I am doing is immoral, what would you do about it? Admit you're undying love to her?" he was defiantly amused. "Is _that_ wrong, Uzumaki? Or are you in the right position to do just that?"

"I…" Naruto bit his lip, frowning. He had a point, since there was nothing he could do to stop them from doing anything and in fact, he was just acting childishly over the whole situation. He stared at his work and announced, "I'm finished so I'm going home."

Uchiha-sensei chuckled and said under his breath "afraid to admit the truth."

Before he could say any more, Naruto growled, "I'm not _afraid_ to admit the truth!"

"Then you're saying you have no _answer_, are you Uzumaki?"

Naruto swallowed and took a deep breath. _Calm down, he's just being an ass and is working you up._ "I'm not saying that either."

"Then if you have an answer, why not share it?"

"Maybe it's because I don't want to," Naruto snapped back.

"Or maybe you're lying about having an answer."

Naruto could just see him strangling his sensei who sat them, calmly, smirking at him, amused over the whole thing.

"What is the real reason you're worked up, Uzumaki?"

Naruto looked away and gave that a thought. "I don't know."

"You don't…know?"

"I just see it being wrong because she's a fellow sensei's sister."

"Hinata-san maybe be Neji-senpai's sister, but that means nothing since it's a well known fact that Neji-senpai has approved of us already."

…Meaning they were engaged…or worse…

Naruto paled and looked at Sasuke.

Oh shit. "YOU'RE ENGAGED?" He cried, jumping from the chair.

"Ah, you see it now, Uzumaki," he chuckled but shook his head. "We're not engaged, Uzumaki. I've known her since she was little, so I've grown a strong bond with her."

"That's why you flirt?" Naruto hissed.

"Why, would you prefer me to flirt with her brother instead?"

Why did that just sound sick? "O-Of course not!" Naruto spluttered. "T-That's wrong! Very wrong since you're both-"

"Guys?"

Naruto stared at Uchiha-sensei.

Uchiha-sensei smirked back.

"Are you sane?" Naruto asked slowly.

Uchiha-sensei shrugged. "I could possibly be insane, but we don't know for sure."

The ass was defiantly mocking! Naruto growled darkly, glaring at him. "Are. You. Mocking. Me?"

The smirk widening was the only answer he needed.

Trembling with anger, Naruto turned away and began to pack his back, cursing under his breath. How the hell was he going to survive coming here four days a week and putting up with this shit all day, every day? How was he going to survive being mocked, tormented, _teased_ by his sensei who seemed to care little for him.

Growing up, he had been mocked and teased. He had been shunned and turned away. He had been _alone_ while people like him had a family to love and be loved by. Had friends to talk to, had colleagues who helped him when he needed that help.

It was greedy bastards like Uchiha-sensei he hated the most!

"Uzumaki?"

"What?" Naruto snapped, then felt bad by the look Uchiha-sensei gave him.

Of course, after a moment, Uchiha-sensei shrugged it off. "Hinata-san brought some cake over, and since I'm not a big fan of sweet thing, I was wondering if you'd like to take it home with you."

Why was he being nice now? Naruto felt confused. "Didn't she give it to you?"

Uchiha-sensei snorted. "She didn't give it to _me_. She brought it over since she knew _you_ were coming here. It was a kind gesture and since she was sure I was not going to be a kind enough host, she insisted she would bake something for you to have while you are here. She even insisted for you to take it home and got angry when I pointed out wouldn't it be better for it to be kept here for when you came over. Then she had pointed out that it was _better_ for you to take it home since she was sure it would get eaten then. So naturally, I was _not_ going to argue with her."

Naruto blinked. "She brought it over…for me?"

"Of course," Uchiha-sensei rolled his eyes before smirking. "And if you kindly decline, then I'll kick you're ass since not only will I be dealing with a very frustrated Hinata-san, I'll be dealing with her brother since it would be "_my fault_" is what they will call it for not "_offering_" it to you to take home and therefore, upsetting Hinata-san."

Naruto eyed him for a moment and debated whether getting his ass kick was enough just to see him go through the torment Hyuuga-sensei was going to give over the cake and decided against it because he did not want to upset Hinata-san so said "ok…I guess…"

Seeing Uchiha-sensei sigh with relief was actually amusing since it was seemed like, from Uchiha-sensei position, that he had just come off a battleground without having to spill any blood. He moved away moments later to pick up the white box and approached handing it to Naruto. "It's strawberry cake. It's one of her best cakes she makes, so appreciate it."

Of course he would, since it was made by Hinata-san. He nodded and bid a farewell to his sensei before fleeing the house. For some reason, he felt like Uchiha-sensei was doing those things to rile him up…

Why the hell would he want to rile him up in the first place?

It took him another long moment to realise…Uchiha-sensei had not set any work for him to do.

…_What the hell…?_

_

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**(1) Yes, Hinata is Neji's sister in this lol. Why? Well, I could not be bother changing it haha.**


	2. Chapter 02

**A/N: You may notice that each chapter jumps to different character focuses. Like Chapter One was Naruto, this chapter is Sasuke, so expect Sasuke to refer to Naruto as "Uzumaki-kun" rather than his actual name.**

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**Chapter Two**

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He was not sure what amused him so much the last time Uzumaki-kun visited, but he found himself smirking wildly as two o'clock approached fast. The last time he had to blonde here, he'd gotten riled up over his flirting with Hinata-san, which in fact was not flirt on his behalf, but being merely a kind gesture to her and a thanks for being so considerate of his students. If the blonde had taken time to notice anything, he was defiantly only being kind towards her.

When the door bell went, Sasuke found himself frowning and he dropped the newspaper on the breakfast and approached the door. Uzumaki was not due for another half hour so who was at the door waiting for him? "Coming, coming," he called as the doorbell went again. He opened it and almost smiled at the woman standing at the door. "Are you planning to make regular visits, Hinata-san?" he asked the woman who blushed and smiled.

"Uzumaki-kun is coming today?" she asked as he let her in and shut the door.

"Yes, two o'clock…" he frowned. "Did Neji-senpai tell you?"

Hinata nodded. "Neji-nii-san told me," she agreed before walking towards the kitchen. "I thought I would prepare you both something to eat, but I don't know if Uzumaki-kun has eaten or anything…" she looked nervous. "Uzumaki-kun is a very nice person."

"When he wants to be," Sasuke grumbled sitting down at the breakfast bench and watched Hinata fiddle around in the kitchen. "Are you trying to point out that I can not cook my meals, Hinata-san?"

Hinata looked shocked. "Of course not, Sasuke-kun. I would never say anything like that since I know you can _cook_ your own meals."

The way she said 'cook' told him what she thought of his actually ability to cook anything, which was amusing. "Let me guess, you want to make him something as a kind gesture once again? He'll get fat if you cook him too much."

Hinata blushed. "He took the cake?"

"I managed to convince him to take the cake home, yes," Sasuke agreed, watching her sigh with relief. "And since I know what you're strawberry cakes are like, I know he would have enjoyed it."

"Even though you don't like sweet foods, or anything considered like that?"

"Anything cooked by you, you know I will eat and like, Hinata-san. You are, in fact, the best cook I know."

Her blush darkened slightly at the comment, embarrassed. "Y-You're just being modest," she stuttered, moving to the fridge and rummaging through it.

"Modest? Hardly. I'm telling you the truth."

To Sasuke, Hinata was very motherly to him, and did in fact make some of the best foods he had ever tasted. Maybe that was why she was inspired to go on and open a bakery while she was finishing her courses at Uni. Her bakery got a lot of business, and when he had lunch break, he would go down and pester her for one of her pies she made. After a while, she eventually made one near lunch time especially for him. Now was that not sweet of her?

He watched her move around the kitchen and thought about to what Uzumaki-kun had said. If he had asked her hand in marriage, he would continuously have Neji-senpai on his back, which he already dealt with the Hyuuga enough _without_ being married to her. Besides, there was eight years difference, and he had always preferred women closer to his ages, whether it was a year younger, a year older or the same age.

Of course, it did not mean he had never thought of asking for her hand in marriage before.

"Have you started your next book?" Hinata asked, smiling at him as she began to cut the lettuce which he was sure he did not have any which meant she brought it herself.

"I started the prologue," he said slowly, looking away. "Not that I've done much of it."

She giggled. "Poor Sasuke-kun, you've been so busy and it's only the third day of the first week of the holidays."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "When aren't I busy Hinata-san. Having Haruno-san on my back continuously is killing me. 'When's the next book' or 'are you writing' or even 'Uchiha Sasuke! No time for sleeping, it's time for writing!'" he shook his head sadly.

"Then why did you start writing…" when she did not finish, he understood what she was trying to get at without making her self get flustered, which unfortunately did not work for her.

That was the one thing Hinata and Haruno-san only knew about that no one else knew about. _Those_ books were under a different pen name so thankfully his reputation was very much intact. **(1)** However, did not mean he did not write them. "I don't…know…" Sasuke admitted nervously. "Do you think…it's wrong?"

She smiled lightly. "No, actually I understand you're feelings all too well, Sasuke-kun."

The fact she could accept him for those books, meant he could live another day…as long as her brother did not find out. "So you're fine with what I write in those books."

Hinata nodded. "Yes, Sasuke-kun," she laughed, shaking her head. "You ask that question all the time, and my answer is always the same. It's just the fact that I have to hide that fact that I'm reading them from…"

Now this was interesting. "You're reading…_those_ books?" he asked _very_ calmly. He was not going to get angry at her. He was not going to snap at her and tell her off for reading that material. He was going to hear her out.

"W-Well…you know Haruno-san and I are… acquaintances and all, and she lent me on of the copies of _those_ books you wrote and I…kind of…enjoyed it."

_Breathe Uchiha. Breathe._ "I see…" he was going to need to have a nice little chat with Haruno-san next time he saw her. "And you're not…disturbed?"

"Of course I was," the fact she snapped at him hurt, but she apologized. "I was…shocked when I read it the first time, stun that _someone_ could write that. It was only until she convinced me to read a few more that I understood why that _someone_ needed to write like that and when she told me you wrote it…well, I didn't believe her until…"

"Until you asked me personally," Sasuke finished with a sigh. That had been the most awkward moment of his life. Of course, he never knew the back story to how she guessed since she said nothing—once he explained—expect for a simple "oh" and that was the end of the discussion. Actually, that probably was a good thing back then. He watched her for a long moment before announcing "Uzumaki-kun should be here any moment."

Hinata looked at the clock before he did and replied as they stare "you said two o'clock right?"

Well he'll be damned; his clock had stopped at exactly one thirty. Grabbing his mobile he had discarded earlier this morning, he unlocked it and stared at the time, almost snarling. "What time did you arrive?"

"I think it was nearly two…"

"…hn…"

"S-Sasuke-kun…? Are you ok?"

"Fine, just fine." He was going to murder the blonde haired brat the minute he got here.

* * *

It was almost three when there was a heavy pounding on the door that made Hinata turn with a questioning look to Sasuke before busying herself in the kitchen. Sasuke was grateful she did not comment about the door, or the fact he looked like he was going to murder something because he did not want to snap at her for trying to be somewhat helpful.

He almost threw the door open but told himself to be calm, to act _very_ calmly. After all, the reputation of being the "Demon Sensei" had to remain a secret from Hinata, since she would trying to explain that it was a immoral term to use for his anger and would try to think up one while being polite about it.

Sasuke opened the door, trying to hide his anger which drained away as he stared at the blonde in front of him. Had he…ran here?

"I'm sorry sensei," Uzumaki-kun burst out, red in the face. "They delayed the trains because of an accident so I had to catch the bus, which I don't normally do, and I got lost and then I-"

Sasuke held his hand up, slightly annoyed at the blonde's lateness. "I understand. Accidents happen, and it's easy to understand you getting lost." He was not meant to say that, but felt a little better after it left his mouth since the blonde looked utterly insulted.

"S_ooooo_ry for not knowing how to use a damn bus, Mister-I-drive-a-flashy-car-to-and-from-school!"

Sasuke just smirked and let the blonde in with the comment, "it's fine with me about your lateness since I got to spend time with Hinata-san and-"

"Hyuuga-chan!" Uzumaki chirped, dropping his bag and racing towards her to greet her. "I so happy I got to see you again."

Sasuke growled as Hinata thanked him before he slammed the door shut and crossed his arms, glaring at the two of them. And Uzumaki-kun thought _he_ was a flirt? "Uzumaki!" he said sternly, catching the blonde's attention. "May I _remind_ you why you are here." He pointed to the table. "You got off lucky that I decided not to set homework-" _because Hinata-san insisted, damn it_ "-and the fact your late makes things worst, so plop your ass down and get your book out. Quite frankly, I don't have time to waste today!"

The blonde whimpered and apologized to Hinata before returning to where his bag laid and shotting off towards the table and sitting down, pulling his book out. Sasuke went to approach Uzumaki-kun when Hinata caught his attention. She was still fiddling in the kitchen, _despite_ Sasuke insisting she did not have to hang around. And then he realised the reason _why_ she was still here.

He smirked and said "aaah, I see now, Hinata-san."

She flinched and looked at him with shock and embarrassment. "P-Pardon?"

He glanced at Naruto before smirking wider at her. "I see _perfectly_ clear now, Hinata-san. You thought you could _hide_ it from me, but I know you better than _that_."

She went bright red and looked down, making tea instead of answering.

Her silence amused him enough to finally relax and he approached the couch where Uzumaki sat, confused. "I was thinking, since you gratefully didn't finish one during the year, that you could read a book and do a book review on it."

Uzumaki groaned loudly. "A book review. You mean I have to read a boring book."

"Surely you can find _one_ book you liked, and read it again." Not that he should allow such a thing, but getting Uzumaki to read was going to be a nightmare.

"Maybe he should read one of you're books, Sasuke-kun," Hinata said before Uzumaki-kun could reply.

Sasuke stared at her for a long moment before he looked at Uzumaki who was frowning. "I doubt he's smart enough for one of those."

Uzumaki-kun spluttered while Hinata hid her face and did her best to muffle her giggles. "T-That's harsh!" Uzumaki cried out, looking insulted once again. "Y-You don't know that!"

"Then you'd read one?"

Heh, it was funny how Uzumaki paled and looked back at his textbook. Amusingly, the blonde had walked into that one. "I-I don't know. Depends what kinds of stories you write."

When Hinata's giggles got louder, Sasuke began to sweat and he looked nervously at Hinata. Was she ok? "H-Hinata-san?"

"Hyuuga-chan," Uzumaki-kun chirped as Sasuke spoke before cutting him off completely. "Is something wrong?"

Hinata waved her hand weakly. "N-No, U-Uzumaki-kun. I-I fine." Of course she was, that was why she was still giggling hard.

Jumping to his feet, he stomped over to Hinata and took her out on the patio, watching as she tried to catch her breath. "Don't you dare mention those books, Hinata-san," Sasuke whispered harshly, watching as she turned to him with teary, amused eyes.

"I-I wouldn't have, Sasuke-kun. I-It's just I-I couldn't help but laugh."

"Of course you couldn't help yourself" Sasuke muttered before adding "stay out here until you can breathe evenly."

She just nodded as he walked back into the kitchen and turned to Uzumaki who was glaring angrily at him. Sasuke smirked back and approached. The fact that he could annoy the blonde by doing a simple gesture like that meant that he could do even the slightest thing and the blonde would be very much jealous of him. "Since there is no point in setting the book review right now, lets start on something else…"

* * *

Sasuke watched Uzumaki work through the last of the work set when he heard Hinata finally come back into the house, look flustered still. She looked at the bench and whimper. "The tea…"

"Don't worry about it, Hinata-san," Sasuke replied, shrugging. "I think we can do perfectly fine without it."

"But-"

"Hinata-san," Sasuke shook his head. "We'll be fine. Why not return home while you can keep yourself under control."

That fact she looked disappointed hurt, but the fact she still bid them both a warm farewell told him he did not have to worry about Neji-san coming along and yelling at him for upsetting his darling little sister. When she was gone, Sasuke returned his gaze to Uzumaki-kun who stared at his book for a long moment before saying "is she ok?" he turned to face Sasuke who looked away. "You didn't have to send her off."

"Yes I did," Sasuke replied before standing up. "There's one thing you don't know about that I can't reveal to you about why she broke out like that. Since the discussion would leave us both awkward if I continued, we should just drop it there." Was it him, or did that sound confusing? Probably did, but it did not matter. When he reached to breakfast bar, he frowned at the food on the bar and said, "Looks like she has prepared something for you to take home once again."

"She did?" Uzumaki sounded very happy about that.

"Yes, she did." Rolled his eyes he turned back to Uzumaki-kun. "You'll probably see more of Hinata-san while you're here, so don't think you'll end up leaving empty handed at the end of each lesson."

That made the blonde frown. "But surely she needs to tend to other needs."

"She does, but she'll make the excuse to come here and cook a meal for you since she believe I won't be a good enough host." This would probably be true if he never known Hinata, however, since he did, he had learned better than to leave a guest waiting. "Since there's a lot for me to do today, we'll leave it at that. However, I expect by tomorrow for you to have a book to read. Not that you'll end up reading here since there's other work to attend to, but you will have to read and finish the book before you go back to school."

Uzumaki groaned. "I understand."

Sasuke nodded. "Find something that's not too long, but decent enough to read, especially for your age group." He almost turned to look at the clock when remembered his clock had stopped so he picked up his phone and sighed. "You may leave," he said in a quiet command.

He watched Uzumaki pack up his things before he turned towards the door, stopping when he heard Sasuke clear his throat.

"Forgetting something."

Uzumaki-kun smiled weakly when Sasuke approached and gave him the box. "What is it?"

"I presume it's salad and fish. Nothing fancy like the cake."

Uzumaki-kun nodded before placing the parcel in his bag and leaving the house.

Sasuke watched the retreating back long enough before closing the door and sighing. And here he thought he was going to get the chance to tease him again. Well, he had a bit, but not enough.

Just as he turned towards the hall, the phone rang making him groan. He knew who was on the phone and knew one thing, he was not looking forward to the conversation he was about to have.

Picking the phone up carefully he answered with a meek "hello?" before waiting for the return answer.

"_Uchiha,"_ the voice was dark, and Sasuke almost whimpered at the sound of it. _"Do care to tell me why my sister has been, one, avoiding me, and two, blushing furiously to the point she looks like a tomato?"_

"Um…ah…how to explain this…" Sasuke began slowly, trying to think up an excuse. Why call over a pissy little thing like this was always beyond Sasuke, but Neji-senpai obviously thought different. "Well…I had my student over today, and some things were said and she kind of, um…burst out laughing and…well…"

"_That does not explain why she's avoiding me."_

"How the hell should I know why she's avoiding you?" Sasuke snapped over the phone.

"_Uchiha,"_ the voice warned.

Sasuke tugged his collar lightly. "I don't know why she's avoiding you, Senpai. Maybe you should just give her some distance for now?"

There was a grunt on the other side before the other line hung up and Sasuke sighed, placing his own phone down as well. He had just reached the corridor that would have lead him towards his study when there was a knock on the door. How many more interruptions was he going to have before he could actually work on his novel? He stomped over to the door and threw it open, staring at the woman standing on the other side.

He groaned and nearly slammed the door in her face. "Haruno-san. You were here two days ago, why the hell are you bothering me now?"

"Just making sure you've started your next book."

"Well, I would if I stopped getting interrupted," he muttered, storming away from the door.

"YOU WERE MEANT TO START IT TWO DAYS AGO, AFTER YOUR DAMN STUDENT LEFT!" Haruno-san roared, storming into the house behind him, slamming the door behind her along the way. She followed him all the way down the corridor. "You'll run late if you don't hurry up! How far are you anyways?"

"I haven't even finished the prologue!"

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING?" She roared again. "SLEEPING AT YOUR DESK?"

_When did I ever fall sleep at my desk?_ Sasuke thought darkly but did not answer her. Instead, he stormed into his study and sat down at his desk where his laptop sat, its screen blank. "Haruno-san, if you want to novel to be done, can you please not annoy me and allow me to type?"

Haruno-san rolled her eyes and plopped herself down on the arm chair and watched him. Sasuke always found it annoying when she sat there; staring at him to make sure he did his work. He was normally better than this. Actually he, even with a student working under him during the holidays, he could still get some-what, what he estimated he would get done. _However_ he had not even finished the _prologue_ of his new book which meant something was up.

Maybe it was the letter he got the yesterday, the one he had yet to mention to anyone, not even his mentor. He stared at his laptop, stared at it for a long moment, trying to think of what he was writing.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He blinked, but continued to stare at the laptop for a long moment before giving up.

"Something up, isn't it?"

Turning to her, for the first time since she had arrived, there was genuine concern in her eyes. "I guess there is something wrong," he said lightly before turning back to the laptop.

"What is it?"

"I got a letter from Nii-san."

Silence followed his sentence and he knew what her react was without seeing it. "Y-Y-Y-Your N-N-N-Nii-san?" she gasped before jumping to her feet. "What did it say?"

"The usual" he replied casually, knowing that was not true.

"He's coming to get you, isn't he?"

"What am I, Haruno-san, a child?" Sasuke snapped, feeling annoyed at her, though he knew he should not be. "No, it's something else."

"You can talk to me," Haruno-san said, sitting down on the desk next to him, closing his blank laptop. "What did the letter say?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. "Mother…was ill."

"And…?"

He did not answer, did not speak the words that would hurt him the most.

A hand touched his shoulder, "I'm sorry," she replied before leaving the room. He was grateful for the silence.

* * *

**(1) Has anyone read or seen _Junjou Romantica_? If you have, good for you, you should know what Misaki finds when he looks at Usami books ;) Heh Heh, lol.**

**Before anyone says anything, I know _Hinata_ is very nice and polite, but I wanted a moment where she snapped at Sasuke because I have always wanted to. I'm sick and tired of Hinata being a meek character, so I made a feistier side to her lol =P**


	3. Chapter 03

**Chapter Three**

* * *

"_Nani?_" Naruto shrieked, looking up from his large bowl of ramen to look at his best friend who sat across from his, tapping his bowl lightly with his chopsticks. "You're joking right? _Right_?"

"Never would I joke about these things," Inuzuka Kiba replied, eating slowly. "I'm dead set about these things, and its serious stuff. Happened right before me eyes, you know. Suddenly me sister and me were bitching off about something and then the paper fell right before me face. Mum said the mother of Uchiha-sensei passed away only yesterday from a strange illness that no one knew about. Me mum reckon though that she's been sick for awhile, so it's not big surprise that she just dropped dead ye know."

"But still, it's horrible to hear about," Naruto replied, finishing his bowl before groaning. "I have two hours to find a book before I go and see sensei." He looked at his friend Kiba who laughed lightly. "Kiba, you know any good books?"

"Me, know good book. Tch, what do ye think I am? Maybe ye should've asked someone else who could help ya?"

"But no one I know _reeeeeads_," Naruto wailed, resting his head on the table with a thump. "Why does Uchiha-sensei have to be cruel?"

"At least he's not expecting ya to read a book in English, mate. It could have been worse!"

True, but that didn't mean Naruto liked it any less. Plopping up a bit, Naruto sighed, glancing at the clock. "I wonder if I saw Hyuuga-chan, whether she can recommend a decent book for me to read."

"She's a girl, she'll probably recommend girl shit," Kiba pointed out.

"I doubt, because she reads books like what Uchiha-sensei writes."

"Which are…?"

"I don't know, maybe horror, fantasy" Naruto laughed. "Maybe he rights books about aliens taking over the planet and wanting to eat our brains and what not. That'll be awesome."

"Taking in Uchiha-sensei's personality, you'll have better luck running across water than finding something like _that_ in his book collection."

"True, but it's an amusing thought."

Kiba tapped his shoulder before standing up and stretching. "Better go, mate. Me mum probably has something for me to do at home, and ye know what she gets like when I don't listen to her." He whimpered. "I don't wanna be on the end of her again, ye know. I hate it when she yells."

"Poor Kiba," Naruto teased, standing up as well. "Let's pay and get going, eh?"

* * *

Libraries were not his friends. Naruto had never been inside a library before—a little white lie, but no one needed to know—so it felt scary for him to approach it. He had barely made in to the door when the woman rushed out and almost bumped into him with a squeak.

"_G-Gomenasai!_" she gasped, bowing quickly. "I wasn't looking where I was-"

"Hyuuga-chan?" Naruto asked, smiling when she looked up at him, shocked. "It is you! Just the person I wanted to see."

"Eh? Uzumaki-kun, I didn't know you came to…oh, the book report," she giggled, covering her mouth as she did before placing her books in the backpack she wore.

"Yeah," Naruto scuffed his shoe on the ground, trying his best to be as innocent as possible. "Ne, ne, Hyuuga-chan. Can you help me find a book to read for it?"

Hyuuga-chan looked up, smiling and nodding. "I guess I have some time before I go to work." She pointed at the library behind her. "Come on, I'll help you find something decent enough to read."

* * *

"Ne, ne, Hyuuga-chan" Naruto said, flipping through a book she gave him. "What do you think of sensei, and all? Do you like him at all?"

Hyuuga-chan, nodded, pulling another book off the shelf to look at. "Of course I know, Uchiha-kun. He's like another brother to me," she smiled at him. "Besides, some one needs to take care of him because he's certainly hopeless of taking care of himself."

"Huh?"

"He does silly things when he's alone for too long. Practically, he gets so into his books he forgets to take care of himself and ends up bed ridden for a whole week!" she laughed, tsking at the memory. "I remember sitting up with him a whole week where all he did was complain about his head, throat, neck, back and stomach feeling all funny. I just told him it was his fault for sitting there four three day's straight, not eating, drinking, showering, or resting at all! Thankfully he did go to the toilet." She was doing her best not to laugh too hard. "He's really klutz actually, but you wouldn't see that side of him. He tends to keep himself well composed around people…until he drinks a little too much sake."

Now that sounded interesting. Naruto laughed inwardly, almost dying as he imagined that whole situation. He wondered how many times he did it before Hyuuga-chan finally settled on the idea of taking care of him. "Has Uchiha-sensei always been a clean freak?"

"No," she shook her head. "Not always, it just became a habit over the years. He scrubs that house clean every day, but I wouldn't call him a clean freak completely. He doesn't freak out when something's dirty or what not, he just likes things be presentable. Besides, he never knows when he'll get the press at his door, wanting to talk about his latest book and all."

"Understandable," Naruto agreed, placing the book in his hand on the shelf before pulling another off, staring at its cover. "Hey, Uchiha-sensei's novel," he announced, opening it. "Whoa, it's huge."

Hyuuga-chan turned to investigate before smiling. "That's the first one he wrote, and because of it, he became famous. It was a good read," she placed the book in her hands on the shelf. "I wouldn't recommend you reading since its thick, but-"

"No way, I'll prove to him I can read it!" Naruto said, hiding it under his arm. "I want to see what kind of books he writes."

"Oh well, when you put it that way," she said looking at the book. "I own it if you really want to borrow it."

"Nah, I might destroy your copy," Naruto admitted looking at the copy in his hand. "Besides, I think it's time I finally used my library card."

"You have a library card?"

Now wasn't that a kick in the nuts?

* * *

"_U~chi~ha-sen~sei_," Naruto chirped, pushing open the front door that was left slightly open. "I'm here for me les…sons…" Naruto's voice trailed as he looked around the room, noticing his sensei was very much missing from the room. "Uchiha-sensei?" he called, stepping into the house. "Weird he's not here."

"What do you mean 'not here'?"

Naruto shrieked at the top of his lungs and turned around, staring at his sensei who stood behind him in…_had_ his sensei been working in the gardens or something. "A-Ah, well you see, I-I-"

"You're here early," Uchiha-sensei commented, walking into the house and closing the door. "Earlier than normal," he pressed his hand quickly against Naruto's forehead. "Are you feeling ok?"

Naruto jerked back, looking away. "I couldn't kill any more time so I thought I'll come over a little earlier. Is that a major problem?"

"Ah, no, in fact, um, er…" Uchiha-sensei looked down at himself. "I better go fix myself. Take a seat, I'll be right back," he said, racing off.

Naruto looked around the house for a moment before dropping his bag on a seat before stepping up to the glass windows that covered the whole back wall. He never really had time to admire the outside since he basically came in and out of this place. However, now he had a chance to see it all. Naruto found his eyes wandering over the garden, taking in the beauty of it. _I wonder how long it took him to do this,_ he thought, stepping from the open glassed door and out onto the patio, allowing him to see, hear and smell the garden around him. To his left, there was a closed off section that had to be the private garden that was attract to the bedroom while the rest was completely open, almost completely covered with thousand's upon thousand's of rose bushes. It looked so colourful and wild that I amazed Naruto that this was in fact his sensei's back garden.

Following the path's, he stepped into the centre of the garden where a large tent like shade was set up with a small table and chairs under it. Naruto wandered if his sensei came out here every now and then to enjoy a meal, surrounded by all these roses.

Running his hands over a rose, Naruto closed his eyes and sighed, letting the smell incase him. In the only memory he had of his mother, he could remember something just like this, a garden filled with roses and his mother sitting in the middle, in a long flowing rose patterned dress, holding her hands out and smiling, calling his name.

The memory brought a few tears to Naruto's eyes. "This place took us a long time to do," a voice said, startling Naruto from his memories. He turned to face Uchiha-sensei who had changed into something more appropriate rather than the grass stained clothing he was wearing before. "My mother loved roses," Uchiha-sensei said, stepping a little closer to the garden and Naruto. "After my brother and I finished this place, we tended to bring her down to sit right here," he tapped the chair closest to him. "She would always have a cup of tea, and a book, and would merge herself into the surroundings." His face saddened. "She stopped coming while she was ill, but every day I would visit her, bringing her a rose from my garden to give to her, so she didn't feel like she was leaving this place behind."

Naruto looked around, almost understanding. This place would be hard to forget and would be missed dearly. "I heard…about what happened. It's been all over the news."

"Mm, I know. We tried to keep it quiet, but you know, the media always finds out somehow."

"I'm sorry."

"There's no need," Uchiha-sensei sighed, turning back to the house. "Death is apart of life, and there's no way to stop it…I'm just sad it stole her so soon." He wrapped his arms around himself, and for the first time, Naruto saw a young man who was in deep mourning. "A lot of my past student's knew her. When they did lessons after school time at my place, they would tend to meet up, since my mother spent a lot of time here in the gardens. Sometimes I thought my students just made up the excuse to meet her." He smiled and said softly, "I don't blame them, because she was truly amazing."

"She did a lot for the hospitals didn't she?" Naruto asked, taking a seat at the small table, watching his sensei. "A lot with the new mothers and babies, right?"

"Yes, she did," Uchiha-sensei looked at Naruto, his eyes very kind. "You would have like my mother, Uzumaki-kun. She had some of the most amazing stories to tell, even if half weren't true." He looked back at the house. "Come on, we have work to do."

"How about we do it here?" Naruto asked, smiling up at his sensei who looked startled for a moment before nodding and smiling gently.

"Yeah, it'll be nice…to work out here."

* * *

"When did she drop the cakes off?" Naruto asked, bitting into the small cake as he watched his sensei go through his work. He swallowed before talking again. "I mean, I met up with her at the library only an hour before coming here, and she had work today."

"She dropped them off this morning, before she went to the library," Uchiha-sensei replied, still skimming through Naruto's work. "She and her brother rolled up at my door, and we had late breakfast together. Everyone's been dropping off at my door all day, making sure I'm not doing anything stupid."

"Because of your mother?"

"Mm."

Naruto leaned forward for a moment before glancing at the laptop beside his sensei. "Ne, ne, sensei, I found a book to read."

"That's good; I'll like to see what you picked up afterwards."

"No need, since it's a book you wrote."

His sensei stopped what he was doing, looking up at Naruto with intrigued eyes. "Really now, which one is it?"

"The first one you wrote, the one Hyuuga-chan said that made you famous in the first place. She told me it was a good read and even offered her copy, but I just picked it up from the library. I didn't start it because after stopping at the small bakery Hyuuga-chan runs, I came straight here."

"Ah, I see," his sensei turned back to the work. "I don't know if it's your type of thing, Uzumaki. It's not an action book, or comic book."

"I know it's not, since all your books are a fantasy, romance, science fiction, historical thingy, right?"

"No, that books just a fantasy romance with a tad of horror."

"Horror's good," Naruto said, not sounding at all pleased with that. Uchiha-sensei noticed the dread in his voice and looked up again, an eyebrow quirked with interest. "I'm not a big horror, gore fan," Naruto admitted, looking at the rose garden. "I hate ghosts, zombies and Frankenstein's with a passion."

"_Frankenstein_ was a brilliant story, don't judge it too quickly."

"It may have been, but it's still horror," he pointed out, crossing his arms on the table. "I just don't do scary stuff. I'm not like my friends who can sit through tons of horror movies and not have nightmares. I get paranoid to the extreme when I watch horror movies. Like _Mirrors_, that totally freaked me out to the point that I covered up all my mirrors and anything with reflections for a month! Not to mention I slept with the lights on too, and I refused to bathe as well, scared that thing was going to come out my mirror and rip my head open from my mouth!"

Uchiha-sensei laughed into his hand, finding it completely amusing.

"Don't laugh at me! Trust me, watching that, _War of the Worlds_, all the _Resident Evil_ movies, all the _Aliens verse Predator_ movies and all the _Underworld_ movies did me in good for a year! And _Underworld_ isn't even that scary!"

"You're just a big chicken," Uchiha-sensei said with a smile, trying to read through Naruto's work again.

"And not to mention that movie with that freak girl that jumps out at you…oh wait, I know two of those…and, what else is there?" Naruto looked thoughtful for a moment. "I forgot them now, but there are heaps of movies that are scary! And you wanna know the funny thing; most of the scary movies have crazy women in them!"

"Women are quite frightening in the real world," Uchiha-sensei agreed, smirking, "especially when they come to your house and pound at your door in the middle of the night, yelling threatening things at you when you have done something wrong."

Naruto paled, making Uchiha-sensei smirk widen.

"I-It's actually happened?"

"Not to me, but what I've heard from other author's working with Haruno-san, it's a different story."

"H-Haruno-san…your editor?"

"Yes."

A small eep escaped Naruto's lips, which of course made Uchiha-sensei chuckle. "You mean…she actually did that, actually came pounding at someone's door and…?"

"Uh huh, and the funny thing was we never saw them again either. Poor lads must have had a heart attack…not that I would blame them." Uchiha-sensei leaned back, giving up on checking the work before him. "If Haruno-san appeared out of no where and threatened to rip my organs out, I'd just do as I was told and then catch the next plane to America. Distance's is necessary to survive, so we all make sure that's the case."

Shivering Naruto turned away, trying to rid the thought of that actually happening. He stayed silent for a long moment, knowing perfectly well that his sensei was eyeing him carefully, debating whether Naruto was going to speak or remain silent. "Ne, ne, sensei, did your mother or you know a woman named Tsunade by any chance?"

"I've heard of her, isn't she a famous doctor or something?"

"Mm, she's close friends to my Godfather, but I've never met her. She tends to send gifts down from where ever she works, but that's as much as I get from her. My Godfather, who comes and goes a lot, said Tsunade isn't a people person who she works in the hospitals. I just thought…maybe your mother might have known her."

"She probably did, but work related stuff was never really about, so anything about her I wouldn't know." Uchiha-sensei narrowed his eyes, make Naruto nervous when he realised the action. "What do you ask?"

"I was just wondering…" Naruto admitted, looking at his work. "My Godfather's been gone for months now…so I was wondering if there was a way to get in contact with her to ask her if she knew about his whereabouts."

"I see," Uchiha-sensei said, looking a little concern. "How long does he normally vanish for."

"A month or two, but it's been half a year since he vanished. I'm just worried about him."

"It does explain your grades," Uchiha-sensei said, thinking back. "You _were_ doing quite fine until a few months back."

"Mm," Naruto folded his arms on the table and hid his face, bitting his lip. "Ne, ne, sensei. How well did I do this time on my work?"

* * *

"Are you sure you're going to be fine, Uzumaki-kun?" Uchiha-sensei asked as Naruto opened the door to leave, shrugging his bag onto his bag. His sensei leaned by the door, watching the blonde for a long moment.

"I'll be fine. I've lived on my own longer than a few months before, sensei, beside's, people should be more worried about you."

"No, they shouldn't. You're still a minor, therefore an adult needs to take reasonability of you," his sensei pointed out, still studying Naruto who didn't seem to know whether he wanted to leave or stay.

"Just because I'm a minor means nothing!"

"No it doesn't," his sensei snapped back before running a hand through his hair. "If things get rough, you can come here for awhile. I'm fine with it, if that's what you'll like."

Naruto studied his sensei for a long moment, almost smiling. _Outside school, you truly are a different person sensei. You actually act more…caring. Now I understand why all your previous students say your really…a nice guy._ "Ne, ne sensei, guess what?"

"What?"

"You're really a nice guy, maybe you should be more like this at school rather than a moody bastard you normally are," Naruto teased before racing out the door.

"OI! UZUMAKI!"

"Cya, sensei! Thanks for the offer!" Naruto called behind him as he raced down the drive way and off the lot. _Ah yes, that had to be said._ Naruto thought kindly, racing down the street towards home.


	4. Chapter 04A

**Chapter Four**

**Part One**

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke stood in the bookstore, flipping carelessly through the pages of a book, sighing every now and then as he read through one source to another, trying to grab information that could be essential for his new book. He had jokingly gone through his mind about turning his book into a bit of a horror—mainly to see what Uzumaki-kun would say if he _liked_ and _read_ more of Sasuke's book—while debating if it was time to give into the fan's need and finally add the romance they'd all been waiting for. Of course, with adding that, Sasuke had investigated what the fans preferred as the pairing with the main character and had become utterly confused. There was defiantly nothing between the main character and what most people preferred so he had spent the last two hours standing in the bookstore flipping through heaps of romances books, doing his best not to gag or snarl at the offensive covers.

Now, since Sasuke was so immersed—_"cough, cough"_—in the book he was reading, he had _not_ quite failed to notice the man sneaking up, the glint of glee in his eyes and the plan to scare Sasuke witless. Sasuke would give him credit for being quiet, but he wasn't going to let him win. "_Ohayo_ Hatake-senpai," **(1)** Sasuke said casually, still flipping through the book, feeling the man stall and think before he stepped beside him, glancing over Sasuke's shoulder to read the material.

"If you were looking for porn, Sasuke-kun, I could have offered you the books I read."

Grumpily, Sasuke raised the book up enough to snap it close and catch the man's nose, who let out a small yelp and jumped back, rubbing his nose. "You're nose is still there, senpai" Sasuke said calmly, placing the book back on the shelf and turning to the man. Hatake Kakashi was another teacher at the private school—_Yes, this meant Uzumaki-kun went to a private school!—_he worked at. Through the years Sasuke had taught at that school, he'd gotten some want closer to the older man, besides the fact he was lazy and rather _perverted_ some would say. "What are you doing here, senpai? Last I heard, you were traveling to the country to be with your horses. Why are you back so soon?"

"You know me, I can't sit still for a second," Kakashi replied, looking around him with a frown. "Of course, in a bookstore, this spot would be the last place I would find you. You're not really into this kind of thing, so it's shocking." He pressed his hand quickly to Sasuke's forehead and drew it back before Sasuke had the chance to slap it away, muttering "you don't have a temperature."

"I'm fine, senpai. I'm looking for resources…sadly."

"Resources for your novel, if I'm right, but since when did your novel have romance?" Kakashi asked, watching Sasuke move to the next isle, following him seconds later. "Have you finally given into the fans now? Giving them a little _love scene's?_"

"Everyone wants it between the freaking main and the villain…not that they're actually on the same side but you know," Sasuke muttered, shaking his head. "Fan girls are messed up, Hatake-senpai. I found some very disturbing things about what. I mean, some were ugh, I don't want to think about it, but seriously, what do people do with their time, think up weird pairings?"

"Sasuke, welcome to the world of fanism, you may not like it, and it may not be a word, but you'll have to deal with it," Kakashi said, patting Sasuke on the shoulder before they stepped into the next isle. Kakashi eyed Sasuke who began to smirk and cackle under his voice. "Is there an inside joke you're not telling me?"

"Of course, Hatake-senpai," Sasuke replied, picking up the closest book to him. "I found something out that's rather interesting. Uzumaki-kun is scared of…well anything that _could_ be considered scary."

"Like?"

"Ghosts, demons, crazy women jumping at the screen, you get the picture."

"Ah, well women are quite frightening when they want to be," Kakashi chuckled, tsking sadly. "Then you better not mention movies like _Paranormal Activity_ to Inuzuka-kun because the boy will just drag Uzumaki-kun into it."

"Does the movie have a crazy woman jumping at the screen in the end?" Sasuke asked eyed Kakashi, interested to know.

"Yeah, I think it does now that I remember it."

"I think he's seen it."

"_Aahh~_ then I do feel sorry for him."

Sasuke just chuckled and continued down the isle. "I don't, Hatake-senpai. I mean, how old is he and he's scared of a little movie? Seriously, that's just sad."

"To you, a _young_ adult, it's a laughing matter, but to Uzumaki-kun…" Kakashi shook his head, stopping as Sasuke stopped to look at another book. "You two are on different levels, and will be for the rest of your life. You, Sasuke, are a young man who'll be thirty in a few years time, while Uzumaki will only be eighteen this October. Quite frankly, Sasuke, there's quite an age gap therefore room for you two to see on different levels. Just think about it, things that seem embarrassing to you know will probably be a completely different story when your forty, maybe even fifty but seem completely alright to be embarrassed about to Uzumaki-kun when he reaches the age your at now." Kakashi looked over Sasuke's shoulder again to read what he was. "Beside's, Uchiha-kun, what you're doing now is completely outrageous in my eyes, amusing in yours, and frightening scary in Uzumaki-kun's. So think carefully about what you intend to do, because the last thing you want is to upset Uzumaki-kun before he gets back to school since he's desperately trying to continue onto final year, and you're the only thing that's stopping him at the moment. In his eyes, it's a game, and you're the boss character. He has to get through anything you throw at him, and sure, he'll get beat at times, but the hero always continues on and saves the day. If you don't want to be a villain, then stick to the romance books and try not to scare him _too_ much."

Sasuke grumbled under his breath and placed the book back on the shelf. "It's not there isn't any horror in my books away, senpai. I mean, there's the scene right at the beginning that'll probably scary him."

"No doubt, you left the entire male civilization that read your book with nightmares for a month on how detailed that scene was," Kakashi said with a wicked smile. "Though, that didn't stop them from reading on, now did it?"

"I doubt _he'll_ finish it, senpai. It's just not Uzumaki-kun's personality to read books."

"Sasuke, do I have to repeat myself again. It's a game to Uzumaki-kun. He's prepared to face monsters—meaning homework—get beaten down a few times—like failing at something—and prepared to face the boss character, which is you. It's like he's playing _Final Fantasy_ all over again, and is the main hero of the story. He'll fight, and he will win…well, that's his logic to it."

Sighing, Sasuke looked away, eyeing the posters in the corner, knowing exactly what Kakashi would say and turned around, storming back down the isle. "You ruin the fun moments, Hatake-senpai. It's not like I get to act like this normally."

"Because of a reputation you have to hold up, right? I mean, your father's one of the wealthiest business men in Japan, your older brother works for the business, as well as an under cover agent for the government _and_ the Yakuza. **(2)** Your mother—yes, I heard and I'm sorry to hear that—was famous for working along side new mothers and their babies in the hospitals, and then there's you, a famous author as well as a teacher at a private school that's the talk of Tokyo for being one of the best around. You have a standard to live up."

"With you reminding me makes me feel awkward, Hatake" Sasuke grumbled, picking up a book then shoving it back on the shelf angrily. "Damn it, I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"Of course you don't know, you're male so it's quite alright to feel lost and confused when it comes to dealing with romantic relationships both on and off the paper," Kakashi stepped aside, pulled a book off the shelf and dumped it into Sasuke's hands. "You're books fantasy, so go for fantasy romances, read through them, and judge your next move. This book is quite suitable for that, though it's more rude than you expect it to be, but it's good."

"It looks lame," Sasuke muttered, looking at the cover before reading the back. "Are you sure this is what I'm looking for?"

"Sasuke, ever heard of _don't judge a book by it's cover_?"

"Well yeah, but-"

"Though this is more matured stuff, it's probably what you need to look at if you're planning on adding romance. Besides, you might like it," Kakashi said with a shrug before his eyes caught something outside for a moment before he turned his full attention on the young Uchiha. "This also has some horror in it, a bit of death and a bit of action. It might be a little…worrisome, but you will enjoy it."

"Senpai, how is it you know stuff like this?" Sasuke asked, holding the book up for a moment before dropping his arm to his side. "You almost seem like the ladies man."

Kakashi just smiled and shrugged. It seemed not even Kakashi knew what he did right, but whatever he did, Sasuke really wanted to know…for book purposes of course.

_

* * *

_

_Silence…_

Sasuke tossed and turned most the night, unable to sleep which he was in desperate need of. Of course, since the news of his mother's passing, he had been very restless, but now Sasuke felt he was really on the end. There was only so much you could hide from the surface, and that day, Kakashi had commented at the café they went to that Sasuke looked "positively exhausted to the bone" and had commented jokingly why Sasuke hadn't been sleeping well know they both knew the reason why.

_Darkness…_

Staring up at the roof, Sasuke stressed himself into trying to count sheep when it felt impossible. Even the very quick noise from the small fountain in his private garden wasn't enough to sooth him enough to…

_Shadows…_

Sasuke's hand moved fast under his pillow, wiping the gun out and sitting up, pointing it in the direction of the glass outer door where a dark figure stood. "If you were anyone else, I probably would have shot you," Sasuke said calmly, knowing exactly who and what was standing at his door. "Can't you be normal and not sneak through the secret passageway into my house and use the doorbell instead?"

A chuckled and the shadow moved, coming towards him. "I have to be careful, Sasuke. I don't want a rivalled Yakuza gang to find out that you are my dear little brother and use you against me."

"But there's nothing wrong with using the door," Sasuke snapped, hiding the gun under his pillow and turning on his lamp, looking at the man who sat down on the end of his bed, lighting a cigarette.

"Of course there isn't," his brother replied simply, smiling at Sasuke. "But I have to test you in case you do have a situation where you do need to shot someone. Otherwise who knows what would have happened if you didn't. In fact, I would have preferred you actually shotting me because then I would know you are well fit for it."

"But I already knew it was you," Sasuke snapped, glaring at the cigarette. "Though I didn't hear you chamber your way through the passage way, I still knew it was you."

"Ah, so you've been waiting for me."

"Not entirely," Sasuke admitted, climbing off the bed. "Kitchen, coffee, talk," he said simply, commanding his brother to move. His brother only snickered at the command before he trailed after his little brother.

* * *

"Why are you here, Itachi?" Sasuke asked, sitting down across from his brother who sipped the coffee from the large mug. "Does this have to do with mother?"

"Yes," his older brother, Itachi, replied, glancing towards the dark gardens. "And no."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm here because of you," Itachi replied, looking sharply at Sasuke who shuddered, feeling those dark eyes cut through his skin. "I'm worried about you."

"Then don't," Sasuke snapped, plopping his feet up on the couch and looking away from his brother. "I'm fine."

"Of course your fine, I can tell, but that doesn't mean I'm not worried for you."

Sasuke snorted, taking a large swallow of coffee. "I've got other things on my mind at the moment, but not about mother."

"Oh?" Itachi asked, quirking a brow and leaning back, giving his younger brother an interested look. "What's bothering you?"

"My student, I've told you about him. Uzumaki-kun, he's been on my mind for awhile now."

"How come?" his brother asked, giving him _that_ look that always told Sasuke that his brother knew all too well what exactly was going on in his head.

"Apprehensive…"

"Why are you?"

Sasuke looked outside, hearing the rumble in the sky. It was odd to get storms during summer, but he took little notice or care about it. "I always get this feeling that he's going to get into trouble, and the next day I tend to find out he has. Being an orphan and all, he tended to get teased by other people, and whenever that happened, he tended to come to school covered in bruises and scars."

His brother frowned, nodding. "I guess that is troublesome…for you as a teacher."

"Mm, and not only that, it's the only time he doesn't talk either. He just distances himself…which is weird because he's such a people's person."

"Everyone has their highs and lows, Sasuke," Itachi replied, placing the empty mug on the table. "And you're having these feeling again?"

"I'm not sure, it's just, the whole day I haven't been able to shake him…" Sasuke sighed and muttered under his breath "I must be going insane."

"No, I just think you care greatly for this student." Boy did Itachi receive daggers over that. "Sasuke, I'm being serious. Do you tend to pay more attention to him or other people?"

"I don't know, I guess I tend to notice him more because he makes himself noticeable."

"How?"

"Itachi, he's the "class clown" as you can call it. Not to mention he's troublemaker. He _always _gets detentions, into fights, and worse, he never studies!"

"Fine then, but are conscious of him?"

The comment made Sasuke laugh harshly. "What does that mean?"

"Do you actually take the time out to focus on him, pick out things to rile him up? Tease him? Push him? Make him actually _hate_ you?"

Sasuke found himself thinking carefully about it, trying to think back to everything he'd ever done to the blonde and began to sweat. "I guess I do."

"Do you, I don't know, take the time out of your day to actually think about him…besides these stupid feelings you tend to get?"

Hadn't that been the problem all day? At least, in the morning that had been the situation, and it was only until now that he felt the dread sinking in his stomach. "I guess I do…"

"And besides all those horrid things you do, do you actually _care_ about the blonde's feelings, thoughts and reactions?"

_Shit!_

Itachi smiled when Sasuke's face became completely blank. "It's alright to be completely conscious of your student, as well as it is to worry. I'm sure a lot of your teachers worried about you too. Of course, we do have a problem if your _feelings_ run a little lower."

"What does that mean?"

"What do you _think_ it means?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Sasuke snapped, standing up and storming over to the window. "If you dare say I've become _attached_ to him I'll pound you're fucking head in!"

"Ouch, that's rather harsh, Sasuke," Itachi said, a chuckle in his voice.

Sasuke just snorted, stepping away from the window and stepping up to his brother. "Nii-sama, what's the _real_ reason to why you are here?"

Itachi sighed, sitting back and looking directly up at Sasuke. "We need to talk about…"

* * *

Grateful for silence, Sasuke strolled down the still quiet morning streets, the sun just appearing up from above the horizon leaving a shadow in front of him as he walked, trying his best not to be ill. How long did his father think he could lie about his mothers death? About his grandparents, uncles and aunts who "mysteriously" died over the past few years. How much longer was he going to grieve without understanding why those healthy people he cared for just dropped dead? Sure, his mother had been ill, but the rest of them?

"_Sasuke, they were murdered."_

"_What? M-Murdered, by who?"_

"_We don't know, but I'm here to protect you. Father doesn't want your blood spilt at all costs."_

"_But why would some do this to our family? What did we-"_

"_They want the Uchiha Family dead because of jealously."_

"_That's no reason to-"_

"_Sasuke, listen to me now. You are in no position to act rashly. Who ever is after us, I will find them and kill them."_

"_Why you?"_

"_Because they have hired a underground group of assassins to do this job, and who has the best understanding of the underground worlds?"_

"_I see, and you'll make them pay in full?"_

"_Sasuke…my darling, yet foolish brother…have I ever let a person get away with paying their debts in full?"_

It had been that beautifully sadistic smirk, and that gentle brain-numbing voice that was out of place that had left Sasuke's skin chilled and his body frightening weak. His brother had always been like that, using such a lovers fashion when it came to the reference of killing. The way he purred out such horrific comment not only made him weak at the knees, but almost _excited_ to know what was going to happen next.

And that thought made Sasuke sick.

He had been silent for a long moment, replaying the whole scene in his mind when he came to a stop, that dreading feeling sinking in again. _Why am I worried about Uzumaki-kun?_ Running his hands through his hair viciously, he grumbled vicious curses out before carrying on, trying to think of may reasons to why he was so worried.

Well, he didn't need to think of them to when he came across a frightening sight. _What happened to you?_

**

* * *

**

**(1) I wasn't sure what I wanted to call Kakashi in this. I didn't want him to be Sasuke's sensei since Kakashi never actually taught Sasuke in this story, so I settled with senpai. I might change it though .**

**(2) Undercover agent = ANBU xD They're not called that, but yeah. Itachi was an ANBU once, so I kept that for the story. No, Itachi's not evil. I hate evil Itachi, I love good Itachi xD So don't complain! Oh, and I should stress that only Sasuke, Kakashi and Sasuke's Father are aware of Itachi being in the Yakuza. Sasuke and his father because they are related, and Kakashi because he's Itachi's close friend in this :D**


	5. Chapter 04B

**A/N: Sorry it's a bit late. Things happened .**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**Part Two**

* * *

_Sick in the guts, Sasuke stepped down the alleyway, approaching the unconscious body leaning against the wall, doing his best not to act stupidly over the scene before him. The dreading feeling increased as he stepped in front of the body, kneeling down and feeling for a pulse, sighing with relief when he felt the weak pulse beating against his fingers. __**You idiot, you got yourself into trouble once again!**__ Sasuke thought, picking the young man up into his arms, carrying the unconscious body away from the dirty, smelly alley way and when the idiot woke up, he was going to show the boy how much he trouble he had cause him._

* * *

"So you're awake?"

He blinked, staring up at the roof before he threw himself up, ready to attack whoever had spoke when he stopped, staring at the eyes of the abyss before he realised a deep, surging pain struck him so vicious he had to cover his mouth to prevent himself from puking.

"O-Oi! Uzumaki-kun" Arms grabbed him and help him lie down, worried eyes staring down on him. It almost made him happy to see the concern in his sensei's eyes, but he shoved the feeling away as he tried to settle himself down. When he was sure he wasn't going to puke his guts out, he pulled his hands away and took long deep breaths. "That's it, steady, deep breaths," the soothing voice said, running a wet cloth over the blonde's sore forehead. "Do you remember what happened, Uzumaki-kun?" his sensei asked, his eyes still worried.

"…a brawl…" Naruto whispered, closing his eyes and trying to relax, wishing the pain would just go away. He laid there for a while until he opened his eyes again, looking at his sensei. "How did you find me, sensei?"

Uchiha-sensei sighed, placing the cloth on the side of the bowl near the bed. "I was out for an early walk when I stumbled upon your unconscious body." He sat there for a moment, trying to compose his face that was a sickly pale colour. "Damn it, Uzumaki, you scared me shitless when I saw you there."

"_Gomenasai,_" Naruto whispered, examining his sensei's face. "Can you help me sit up?" he asked, getting a nasty look from his sensei who complied anyway, helping the blonde sit up in the bed.

"You should rest, you know," Uchiha-sensei grumbled, wiping the cloth over his face. "Just be glad I'm not going to complain since you've been out cold for a few days now." His sensei almost smirked when Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Of course, knowing it wasn't appropriate, he did not and for that, Naruto was grateful. "The cuts have been treated, so you should be fine. However, next time avoid getting into punch ups."

"I can't avoid them," Naruto snapped, looking down at his arms and bitting his lip, seeing the bandage wrapped around them. "Those fucking bastards appeared out of nowhere and bet the shit out of me," Naruto said, doing his best not to whimper when he touched the back of his head, feeling the cut.

"Who did this?"

"Lord if I know," Naruto lied, before adding under his breath "probably the same group who always does this."

"Who?"

Naruto remained silent. It wasn't that Naruto _wanted_ to hide it, it's was because he had to hide it, especially from his sensei. He knew his sensei would wait patiently—the man could sometimes be a little _too_ patient—but Naruto was going to continue to resist.

It took a long minute before Uchiha-sensei sighed and turned towards the door, ready to leave. "You can stay as long as you need its fine with me. However," Uchiha-sensei glanced back at Naruto, making him nervous for a moment until Naruto saw him smile simply, gently. "You better listen to Hinata-san when she gets here, because otherwise, _you_ can deal with he shitty brother, ok."

"A-Alright."

"Good, I'll be back with something to eat. I mean, you've been almost _dead_ the last five days, so it wouldn't surprise me if you were starving."

"F-Five?"

"Maybe six. Not sure, I lost count while I waited for you to wake up."

…_waited for you to wake up…_the words sank in and before his sensei left, Naruto quickly called out. "S-Sensei?"

Uchiha-sensei glanced back, his face now expressionless. "What is it?"

"A-Ah…" Naruto bit his lip, not sure how to say "thank you" in a more grateful way. "Y-You didn't need to help me."

"Uzumaki, you don't get it do you."

"Huh?"

"Think about it," his sensei was already gone before Naruto could ask what, and sat there confused, trying to think about what he hadn't said…yet supposedly said when it clicked. _"If things get rough, you can come here for awhile. I'm fine with it, if that's what you'll like."_

Naruto couldn't help but crack a smile. _Sensei, you truly are a nice guy after all…pity you always have to act the bastard at school._

* * *

He had been forced to stay in bed for almost two days until Naruto had finally protested against it, saying he was perfectly fine and his headaches—which had come and go the last two days—had finally stopped. That would have been rather amusing if Naruto hadn't been peeved off by his sensei, who was actually doing the opposite to what Naruto was expecting.

His sensei was always the type to fight back aggressively. Though he never got physical or never really swore, it was the tone of his voice that told you he was dangerous. Yet, there he sat, completely and utterly _amused_ at his reactions and protests. Which made Naruto want to kick his sensei's ass even more.

"I'm _fine_!" Naruto stated firmly, tapping his chest rather hard. "I probably healed within the first two _days_ so why is I a problem for me to go and do _normal_ things?"

"I doubt you do _normal_ things, Uzumaki, since you're not normal yourself," his sensei replied, tapping away at his laptop and not even once looking up to see Naruto's face. "I still think you need to see a doctor."

"I don't need a doctor, I need to get home. My friends are probably worried about me."

"You could call them, tell them you've been-"

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?"

That had made his sensei—who'd been smiling lightly the whole time—jump and look up him, his eyes unreadable, but the shock written across his face. It last for few seconds until Naruto noticed the change of expression before he placed the laptop beside him on the sofa, crossed his arms, and _glared_ at him, looking rather trouble and possibly, angered. "And why not? They deserve to know you were attacked."

"Sensei, with respect, I don't want my friends getting involved because last time they did, _Kiba_ ended up in hospital with a freaking broken arm and rib. I don't want that to happen again." Naruto waited a moment before he realised he shouldn't have said that because the excuse had been _"I fell down a flight of stairs" _rather than _"I got bashed"_ when it came to questions from anyone besides their small group of friends.

However, his sensei didn't comment on the lie, but rather, stood up and shrugged, surrendering rather easily. "Do whatever you want Uzumaki. I can't stop you from anything, but next time I find you in an alleyway, I'm going to leave you there for someone else's responsibility."

The words had been sharp enough to slice through Naruto, making him sigh and think carefully of the next words. He couldn't say anything against that, since it would more than likely end up causing both of them too much trouble. "Sensei, I thank you for treating me, but I didn't say you had to take me back home. I didn't ask for you to take responsibility. In fact, I never asked anything more than being my sensei and helping me with Language so I don't fail. I don't need your help in any other way than being my sensei."

Uchiha-sensei looked at Naruto for a _very_ long moment before he shrugged again. "Whatever, Uzumaki-kun. I can't control you." He turned to walk away. "We'll continue your lessons tomorrow," and with that, he walked outside, leaving Naruto alone in the living room, feeling as if he walked away from a battle of some sorts.

As much as Naruto hated it, he didn't like having his sensei turn away like that, because he felt as if he was hurting his sensei in pushing him away. Of course, the idea was ridiculous and there was no way that Naruto could depend on him since Uchiha-sensei would only be his sensei for his senior year, and then, he would have nothing else to do with his life.

Turning away, and letting himself out the house, Naruto wandered aimlessly through the city, walking in slow, steady paces as he walked about, trying to think about what he saw in his sensei's eyes before he slammed the glass doors shut. His sensei was never violent with actions, but with words, and he never really let his guard down in a battle, so it confused Naruto a lot to find his sensei had pretty much given into Naruto and as a result, and stormed out of his own house to distant them.

Frowning, Naruto walked into the park, his mind still troubled. It wasn't like he didn't mind his sensei being so generous, however it was the fact that this was _Uchiha-sensei_ being generous that made him edgy. If it had been Iruka-sensei, or Kakashi-sensei, then he would have a reason to be somewhat able to relax. But this was the all might Uchiha who shut himself behind thick doors and remained there unless something troubled him.

"_Mum said the mother of Uchiha-sensei passed away only yesterday from a strange illness that no one knew about. Me mum reckon though that she's been sick for awhile, so it's not big surprise that she just dropped dead ye know."_

Naruto stopped walking, feeling a little sick. His sensei had been acting strange, and could that be the reason? If it was…then wasn't he the idiot? He should be dealing things calmly, not yelling or arguing with his sensei who was probably grieving. After all…that was the right thing to do.

Spinning on his hills, Naruto raced back to the Manor. He threw the door open and looked about, noticing his sensei had yet to return from the gardens. Marching towards the glass doors, he stopped and froze, watching the man in the gardens. Uchiha-sensei just stood there, staring up at the sky, his back to the glass doors. He seemed almost dazed, and probably hadn't noticed Naruto leaving and returning again.

Opening the glass door silently, Naruto followed the path down to where Uchiha-sensei was. He kept a small distance from us and wasn't sure how to announce himself when there was a low grumble and his sensei turned to him. Naruto had seen it there for a second, the sadness in his eyes before he placed himself in that angry mask again.

"Why are you still here?"

"Because I should apologize for my rudeness," Naruto said quietly, hiding his hands behind his back and looking away. "You're in mourning, so I shouldn't be rude or anything. I mean, losing your mum like that would have been hard and-"

"It doesn't matter," Uchiha-sensei said, walking past. "People die all the time."

Naruto stood there for a long moment before he turned around, stormed up to his sensei and pulled him back, who turned about, startled. "'It doesn't_**matter?'**_ Of course it fucking matters! She's your mother! She was the person who brought you into this world! Without her, you wouldn't be here and you're telling me it doesn't _**matter?**_"

"Uzumaki-kun, let go of-"

"NO!" Naruto screamed, tears welling in his eyes. "Are really that cold hearted that you can't even be a little upset? That you can't cry? Do you really _not_ care about this? How fucking mean can you ge-"

"UZUMAKI!" the roar stopped Naruto dead in speech, staring at his sensei whose face became shaded, his eyes hidden by his hair. "How dare you accuse me of not caring for my mother," he said quietly, softly. "I always thought of my mother. I loved her greatly and will continue to love her greatly, and it's not like I don't want to cry…"

Naruto spotted the tear slipping down his face and understood completely.

"I can't allow myself to cry over things like this. Not with the position I'm in, not with the people our family deals with. We can't allow ourselves to be weak before them, because then that will be the death of us. Don't you think I've been wanting to cry? To let my feelings out?"

"S-Sensei…"

Uchiha-sensei pulled his arm away from Naruto, turning away, his shoulders hunched. "Damn it!" he whispered over and over again, raising his hands to his face. "I'm not allowed to cry…because it's betraying her!"

It was the first time Naruto had even seen his sensei so broken apart and defensive…and for some reason, it hurt. "S-Sensei…"

"Just leave Uzumaki," he whispered. "Please, just get out of my sight."

Naruto bowed his head for a moment, thinking. "No," he replied, stepping forward. "I'm not going to leave you when your in this-"

The movement was quick. His sensei had his shirt in his hands, clenched. His body trembled and his lip was pulled back tightly as he bit down hard on it. He just stood there for a long moment, ignoring the slight rumble in the sky. "Uzumaki…" he whispered, his hands tightening. "When I was a child, I saw a man slaughtered before my eyes," the words were painful and it made Naruto feel some what sick. "He was a bad man, and he done a lot of damage to me, to my family and you want to know what happened. In a slipt second, I panicked, grabbed the gun and shot the man repeatedly until the bullets had ran out. It took almost an hour for my brother, Kakashi-sempai and father to find me, still screaming, crying." He laughed bitterly. "In front of the police, my father acted his part, the loving, worrying father, but behind closed doors, he slapped me and screamed 'how dare you cry'. No matter how much my brother tried to intervene, I was forced to take each hit until I stopped crying. Then, he left me alone, in pain but I didn't dare shed a tear. I could never allow myself to do that. Every time I got hurt, I had to hold it in…otherwise I faced another beating…"

Uchiha-sensei fell to his knees, pulling Naruto down with him. Seeing him in the recked state, Naruto wasn't sure on what he could say or do to make him feel better.

"…A child, Uzumaki, I had barely turned eight and that happened to me. At the age of ten, I was taught how to use a gun properly. If I did something wrong, I got a beating. If it was the smallest thing like a "B" grade, I was smashed up until I was bloody and bruised. Once, my older brother stepped in, and he got the worst blow I'd seen ever. My father was a brutal man, Uzumaki," he laughed bitterly, pressing his head against Naruto's chest. "Damn it, you don't know how frightening life was for me back then. I was scared to do anything wrong, scared to be dragged into the back room and beaten for it."

_Stop trembling…_

"I'm still scared, Uzumaki. Terrified beyond my wits."

_Stop crying…_

"And all because…because of the family name…"

_Please Sensei…please stop crying, stop hurting._ Naruto wrapped his arms around his sensei, holding him close. He wasn't sure of this action, or why he felt the need to protect his sensei, he just did it. He allowed his sensei to cry. He stayed there through the whole thing, even after the rain began to fall down on them. He just stayed put, holding his sensei close to him.

It took almost an hour before his sensei could take control of himself, standing up. Naruto followed suite, standing up as well, watching his sensei as he brushed away the tears from his face. _All those times you couldn't cry…you finally could let yourself out._

"Sensei…_daijoubu_?"

His sensei focused on him for a moment before he took a long, deep breath. "Uzumaki, I've haven't cried since that day…so…I don't know how to think any more."

"Don't think," Naruto whispered, clutching his sensei's shirt and shaking him lightly. "When you're around me, you can stop hiding behind the closed doors. If you need to cry, I'll stay with you sensei. If you need to talk, I'll listen. Just stop hurting yourself for Christ sakes. It's not healthy for you to act like that!"

His sensei focused on him before a small smile ran across his lips. "Not even Hinata-san has ever gotten as worried as you, did you know that Uzumaki?"

"Huh?"

"I've never told her once about that side of me before, so I guess that's understandable…but…" Uchiha-sensei leaned in closer, his hands taking Naruto's. "_Arigatou gozaimasu…_Uzumaki-san…"

Before Naruto could react, lips pressed against him so lightly that it startled Naruto. _Nani…?_ Hands pulled Naruto right up against him, the other wrapping around his waist to hold him in place. _Nani?_ The hand moved further up, gripping Naruto's shoulder as the mouth ravished his. _**Nani?**_ Clenching his eyes shut, Naruto just stood there, not sure what else he could do. What the hell had gone wrong here? What the hell had led his sensei to do _this?_

_D-Damn it!_

Uchiha-sensei pulled him closer than he liked, but found himself unable to pull out of the grip, unable to escape, though he wasn't sure if he could even if he tired. _Just stay still, let him kiss you. It's nothing to be ashamed of…since your body can't possibly be reacting to him, just reacting to the cold and the rain._ Naruto told himself calmly, finding it unconvincing. _Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! S-Sensei what are you d-_

The mouth hesitantly drew back, making Naruto cautiously open his eyes, staring into the black ones. "I-I shouldn't have done that," his sensei said quietly, stepping away, putting distance between them. "I-I should _not_ have done that." He focused his eyes on Naruto, cautious. "Uzumaki…a-are you alright?"

What was he to say? He wasn't sure if he hated the kiss…not that he was saying he liked it either. Whatever it was, it did leave Naruto confused…very confused. "I-I don't know…" Naruto admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I-I mean…I-It was strange of y-you to do that. I-I mean…t-this is you sensei w-who…y-you know…d-don't do that kind of things."

"Then you don't know me well enough…" Uchiha-sensei said quietly, stunning Naruto.

"_N-Nani?"_

His sensei took a step forward, moving a hand to brush a strand of hair away. "Itachi was right…" he whispered, leaning in again. Naruto jerked back, finding himself against the pole and settled from the rain.

"S-Sensei, I-I think t-that's far e-enough for t-today!"

"Don't move."

Of course, with that voice, Naruto stiffened, not moving as his sensei leaned right in, their bodies pressed against each other. Once again Naruto was doing his best to convince himself his body was reacting to the cold and the rain, not his sensei. "S-Sensei…"

"Do I scare you with these actions Naruto?"

_Surprising…no…and who the hell is this Itachi dude? _Naruto thought, but couldn't quite speak, his sensei pressing a little harder up against him, making him speechless.

His sensei smiled kindly, leaning in so their foreheads pressed against each other. Naruto never really got a good look at his sensei's face, but now he had a perfect chance. He noticed the dark rings around his already dark enough eyes for the first time, meaning Uchiha-sensei probably was having rough nights these past few days. He also noticed that there was a tint of blue and grey in those dark eyes of his, just mingled up with the black to the point they were invisible…and then there was his skin. What Naruto had thought had been dead white, he could actually see the light colour in it, not to mention the red colour from crying. There were things he'd never seen that seemed to make Naruto confused. Was the man standing before him even his sensei at all? "Do you like what you see?" though Uchiha-sensei said it in a low voice, it was almost loud in Naruto's ears.

"H-Huh?"

"You've been staring at me the whole time," the smile he gave Naruto was almost beautiful that Naruto found himself breathless before he really _was_! Uchiha-sensei had stolen his lips once again, however, instead of panicking; Naruto found himself acting _relaxing_ into the kiss…and possibly kissing back.

His sensei tasted like the winter for some reason. Cold, yet warm. Unbreakable, you still easily broken. Hard, but still soft. It tasted nice actually, the feeling of his sensei's lips pressed against his that suddenly…all concerns vanished. They were like that for a long moment before a voice cleared it self and made them both frozen. "Well…ain't _this_ interesting?"

_SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!_


	6. Chapter 05

**A/N: I wonder who caught them?**

* * *

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter Five**

There was a debate whether he could handle himself mentality since he was a child, a debate that still lasted to this day. For a long time, Sasuke had brushed it off as a mild annoyance and moved on, ignoring the questions about his state of mind ad focused on what he desired, what he dreamt. His personal life was a limit to everyone, but he knew better than to brush it off when it came to dealing with Hyuuga Neji. Uneasy high school friends to uneasy teachers, Sasuke had never been able to brush off his mentality when it came to that person. So dealing with him was hard and dangerous.

His stomach clenched painfully when the voice spoke in a deadly calm tone, that tone that dripped with venom, yet sounded so sweet in the same instance. He knew better than to joke about around Hyuuga, so calmly taking a step back from Uzumaki-kun (and himself), Sasuke turned to face his friend who watched them both with shadowed eyes. Those eyes never judged, were never unclear or uncertain, they were always sharp, demanding and deadly. Sadly, Sasuke could never admit to himself that this man had been just like the blonde behind him—a outgoing and wild person—and then suddenly change into someone like this.

Then again, with a partner like Subaku Gaara, Sasuke didn't doubt that Hyuuga learnt to make himself strong in all ways, since is partner did like getting a little…rough. "Hyuuga-senpai," Sasuke greeted in a soft voice, moving from Uzumaki-kun who was left behind, not sure what to make of the situation. "What brings you here?"

Hyuuga's eyes glance from Uzumaki-kun to Sasuke before he reached into his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper. "I got an interesting message that I thought you'd be keen to read, but if I'm interrupting anything, then I guess I'll take a leave."

"Nothing happened," Sasuke said calmly, yet quickly, not sure how the blonde was going to react to that comment. "What is the message?"

"It's from your father."

Sasuke frowned, accepting the letter and turning away to read it, muttering "since when were you on friendly basis with my father?"

"I'm not," Hyuuga replied, leaning on the door frame, still watching Naruto with those dangerous eyes. "I want to know just as much as you to why he sent _me_ a letter, and not confront you or your brother."

Sasuke eyes glazed the letter that began to rip in his hands. "Why would the bastard bring that back up with us again?"

"Because he's a bastard," Hyuuga replied, watching with a smirk as Uzumaki-kun's mouth dropped at the way they treated Sasuke's father. "However, it's concerning that he's bringing it up. How many times has he brought it up with you and me? Ten, eleven, twelve times this year, I don't know anymore but I can tell you I've lost count at how many times he's dared to bring it up."

Sasuke had to keep control of his temper, for Uzumaki-kun's sake. If it had been a different time, a different place, Sasuke would probably have left a nice hole in the glass door or his brick walls. Instead, Sasuke scrunched it up and shoved it into his pocket and began to pace the area near Hyuuga, his eyes continuously glancing at the blonde who still tried to make out the situation. _If only you knew,_ Sasuke thought, biting his lip.

"Uchiha, what are you going to do? You're going to have to face him at the funeral, and he might not let you get away this time."

Sasuke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, but I won't let that bastard get the best of me. If he thinks he can still treat me like a child, then he's got another thing coming. Karma works like a bitch, so he better be prepared."

"You can't make him pay for your pain Uchiha, because it'll leave you more unsatisfied, and who knows what lengths you'll go to with your _problem_."

"Problem?" Uzumaki-kun replied, looking at Sasuke. "What problem?"

Sasuke shot a dangerous glance at Hyuuga who shrugged. "Uchiha-sensei has grown up with issues that isn't really something nice to speak about, so we just call it a problem. Normally no one questions it, and even if they did-"

"We don't tell them," Sasuke finished, crossing his arms and turning to Uzumaki-kun. "You can leave, Uzumaki. We'll discuss your work in the next lesson."

Uzumaki-kun nodded before he approached, walking past Sasuke then Hyuuga before he disappeared out the house. It didn't make Sasuke easy to know he was going back to nothing, but right now, he didn't desire Uzumaki-kun to know about his mental issues. After all, growing up in an atmosphere where he was continuously abused would lead to this issue anyway. "What will you do if Uzumaki-kun begins to question this problem?" Hyuuga asked, watching Sasuke who still stood in the rain. "Get inside you idiot, you'll get sick."

Sasuke sighed, slipping inside to the warmth of his house, sitting down on the couch and ignoring Hyuuga who disappeared to grab a towel. He ignored as his senpai began to dry his hair when he returned. "Am I really that hopeless?"

"You make your problem seem invisible most of the time Sasuke, so I wouldn't worry about it."

"That's not what I meant."

"If this is to do with the reasons to why your father beat the crap out of it, then I say you should put on a brave face and ignore it. You were a child, Sasuke, so you weren't meant to be perfect. Who cares if you weren't like Itachi-san, who cares if you were imperfect? You are you, and that is what makes you, Sasuke. You have students who think very highly of you, and though you're temperamental because you tend to lose control of yourself, you are one of the best teachers out there, or the best I've seen in awhile. You write amazing stories, and have a knack of being potentially stubborn and protective of my sister, so what more could people ask for?"

"You make me _sound_ perfect," Sasuke joked when Hyuuga removed the towel and sat down across from him on the other couch. "Was there another reason to why you're here?"

"When Hinata, Kakashi-senpai, or your brother isn't here, then someone has to make sure you're alright," Hyuuga replied, sitting back before smiling weakly. "You're a close friend Sasuke, so I'm not going to leave you alone while you're dealing with this hard time."

"Alias, you are trying to call me hopeless without hurting my feelings, how kind of you."

"I'm serious Sasuke," Hyuuga snapped, running his hand awkwardly through his hair. "We're all worried about you Sasuke. Have you even cried yet? I mean, you shouldn't bottle yourself up like this, because you'll just explode. You can always cry you know."

Sasuke glanced out the window, gently smiling. "I already have."

Hyuuga sighed with relief, "meaning you've let it out, that's good." He watched Sasuke for awhile before narrowing his eyes. "Wait, what were you doing with Uzumaki-kun before I came here?"

"Crying," Sasuke admitted truthfully. After all, it was true. "Just…just crying." Dear Lord, he was going to lose control again. Covering his eyes, he took a deep breath. "Dammit," he whispered over and over again, trying to keep control before hands touched his shoulders. "I haven't cried in so long, Neji. I lost the ability to cry and then Uzumaki-kun comes into my life and everything I thought I could control just breaks in on me."

"So you just cried, and he held you there?" Hyuuga asked, kneeling down in front of Sasuke. "Did it make you feel better afterwards?"

"What are you, a psychiatrist?"

Hyuuga laughed gently, running his hands through Sasuke's hands. "I did study it at University, Sasuke." Sasuke chuckled with Hyuuga, doing his best to remain in control. "Well, did it make you feel better…letting it all out then and there?"

Sasuke nodded, looking at Hyuuga who gently settled back on his heels. "Why is it you can be scary on the phone, but in real life you're harmless as a kitten?"

"May be so, but they do still have teeth and claws."

"Ah, I guess that's true."

Hyuuga stood up, looking towards the kitchen and frowning. "I guess we should try and make something to eat, otherwise you might starve to death. If you do, then what in the name of hell am I going to say tomorrow when I turn up for poker and you're missing?"

"Poker?" Sasuke asked, watching Hyuuga approach the kitchen. "Since when did we play poker?"

"Since when did Kakashi invite us?" Hyuuga countered with a grin that was too much like the one he used to wear in high school. It was always that one he use to grin before coming out with _"ne, ne, Sasuke, I have a brilliant idea!" _being that brilliant idea that just happened to get them both into trouble. **(1)** "I don't know about you, but a free dinner and a chance to show up Kakashi-senpai is so worth it."

"He's been playing poker since I can remember, so there's no way either for us to show him up."

"Ah, but Iruka-san is another story."

"Be careful where you tread, _kodomo_, you know Kakashi will kick your ass if you pull a smart one of Iruka."

"Don't call your senpai a kodomo, you ungrateful child!" Hyuuga snapped, pointing an accusing finger at Sasuke who followed him into the kitchen. "I have better things to do than get treated like shit by you."

"What? Getting treated like shit by your bum buddy."

Hyuuga groaned incredibly loud. "Don't remind me! I'm probably going to get my ass abused like hell because I'm running away to Kakashi's poker night tomorrow and I'm not going to mention a thing to him. Could you imagine what the ungrateful son of a bitch is going to say? _'Poker is not healthy for your brain, not that you have much of one __**anyways**__!'_ or something like that."

"Ah, but he does love you," Sasuke chuckled as he watched Hyuuga rummage through his fridge. "You know that."

"Sometimes I wonder if he just loves my ass more than he loves me."

"Possibly," Sasuke laughed, watching the way Hyuuga rubbed his ass in the progress. "Dear Lord, Neji, do you and Hinata both think I'm incapable of cooking?"

"Cooking anything _nutritious_, yes. Cooking overall, maybe" Hyuuga replied before asking "what are you interested in eating?"

"Nothing you can cook, since you can't cook for peanuts."

"HEY! I can cook, thank you very much!" Hyuuga snapped, grabbed out a bunch of vegetables. "I passed cooking class every year!"

"Barely," Sasuke spluttered out, still unable to stop laughing. "I had to help you every lesson because anything you cook, blew up."

"Did not!"

"You couldn't even boil an egg without having it blow up in your face!"

"Lair, I can cook!"

"Yeah, but not in _my_ kitchen!"

* * *

For the first time in his life, never had Sasuke felt more alone than he did now. It was some time later that evening—some time after the assault of Hyuuga Neji and the kitchen—when he realised this terrible feeling. Hyuuga Neji always seemed to be a bright light in his foggy life, and even though Hyuuga could be somewhat split personality, Sasuke had never once thanked him being a long standing support.

He smiled to himself, covering his eyes with his arms as he lounge on the couch, the thick covered novel resting on his chest. At hours like this, he would normally be reading—or heavily working on his next novel—yet tonight he was still hyped up from the event that day. With his other hand, he carefully brushed his lips, and tried to remember the taste that had been there only hours before hand. Not even Hyuuga's repulsive cooking could destroy the late spring and early summer in which had been none other that Uzumaki Naruto.

…He should never have done that. He should never have kissed Uzumaki Naruto like he had done then and there. He had just been there at the wrong moment, that blonde haired boy. However, Sasuke would admit that after that event, he did feel somewhat…lighter.

"_Sensei…__**daijoubu?**__"_

Uzumaki had been worried, beyond worried. Not that Sasuke would blame him since it would be considered odd for a man of his age to cry as hard as he did. From everything, it had just boiled over and destroyed sense of self…and then his father.

Clenching his hands, he forced himself up off the couch and towards the window, ignoring the thump when the book landed on the floor, and focused all his attention on the outside world.

He'd never seen it rain this much in summer either…

No, that was a lie. There had been one time it rained like this in summer and knowing that memory lingered just on the boundaries of his mind made him angry. That bastard had treated him like a child, and there had been only fact concern for had killed a man, and been nearly killed _himself_, yet his father had cared nothing expect how he was going to punish his little boy.

"_You're…just like your darling father…"_

A sickly voice whispered the reminders of a childhood he wanted to forget. The abuse, the rape, the torment…everything…

The thought of blood sent an overwhelming nauseating feeling that in moments, made him vomit up what he'd eaten hours before. He remembered all too well this feeling and what it did to him in the past. Covering his mouth, he gasped for breath through his swallowed and burnt throat. Yes, there was that feeling again; the one that only caused more problems yet eased the pain at the same time.

_No!_ He thought viciously, clutching his throat. _I won't rely on that-that fiend to make this go away!_

It was almost as if it was timed well, for that was when his mobile buzzed on the table. Taking a few breaths, he walked over to it and answered, staring disgustedly at the mess on the floor. "Hello?"

"_Hello…Sasuke-kun…"_

Yes, it was defiantly timed well. It was as if that fiend had predicted his sudden of emotion. "O-Orochimaru…" Sasuke whispered, clutching his chest. _No, no, no! Go away!_

"_You sound…distress my boy. What is the matter?"_

"Nothing I can't handle" Sasuke replied sharply, clenching his eyes shut. "What do you want?"

"_I was back in town…since I heard what happened to your mother…I am truly sorry for your misfortune."_ The tone sounded remorseful, but only a fool would believe it. _"I was wondering if you wanted to…talk about it."_

"Well, I don't need to," Sasuke snapped, beginning to look around for something to wipe the vomit from the floor. "It's none of your concern."

"_I highly doubt that…"_ the voice cooed. _"You were my favourite, Sasuke-kun…and you relied on me a lot before, and I know…nothing has changed."_

Sasuke bit his lip and clenched his eyes shut, defeated. "Where are you?"

"_The usual hotel…"_ the voice replied kindly. _"I'll be expecting you…"_ and then all that was left was the dial tone. He slammed it shut and threw it across the room, pacing. It was way too easy. He left it too easy and surrendered without challenging it. He should never have left it like that, but Sasuke knew…that man had ways to make him do anything.

_Only for a few minutes…the minute you feel threaten…then get your ass out of there!_

_

* * *

_

He regretted being so mentally unstable, but Sasuke shoved all doubts behind him as the taxi pulled up to the hotel. Rather than be recognized by anyone if he turned up in his flashy car, Sasuke had decided to keep down his appearance. Slipping from the taxi, Sasuke looked up and swallowed sharply, his throat still raw from his earlier experience. _Five minutes, no more, no less!_

He waltzed towards the building and towards the desk when a voice stopped him. "Sasuke-kun?" _Dammit!_ Sasuke turned to the woman who approached, feeling awkward. "It is you!" hands grabbed his and he found himself forced to stare at the worried features. "You look dreadful. Why are you out here in this state?"

"H-Haruno-san" damn, his voice sounded rougher than it was meant to be. "What are you doing here?"

"Okaa-san is back from America so I went to visit her." She watched him very cautiously for a moment before narrowing her eyes. "Why are you here?"

"No reason," he lied, shaking her hands from his. "I have an important meeting, so I will see you later." He'd only gotten a few steps away before hands grabbed his arm, stopping him. "H-Haruno-san?"

"You're going to see him again!" She shouted angrily, tears threatening to fall. "Do you really think it's safe to see that man?"

"Haruno-san, I'm not going to see _that_ man" he lied through clenched teeth. "I have a very important meeting I need to attend to, so _please_, let me-" he yanked his arm away "-GO!"

Haruno-san didn't follow when he stormed off, which he was grateful for. He didn't mean to get angry at her like that, but right now…he could only handle so much. He knew deep in his mind he was slowly coming undo, slowly showing off a side he's never shown before, but he had no way in stopping it. It was just going to happen, whether he liked it or not…whether he was willing to accept it or not.

Sasuke rode the elevator to the 6th floor where he knew the man would be. He walked extremely slow, deciding whether he should leave or not, even though he'd come this far. However, he knew it wasn't too late to turn back now if he wanted to, and though he almost convinced himself to do just that, he found his hand just hovering at the door, ready to knock. He should have turned back before reaching the door, but he hadn't. He wasn't sure if he was trying to prove to himself that he could walk in there and remain neutral, or if he was going to easily break down like he had a thousands other times he'd come to see this bastard of a man.

_I shouldn't be here,_ Sasuke told himself, pulling his hand back from the door. _I should just go home, claim something came up. _He just convinced himself to turn away when a voice at the door spoke. _"You can come in Sasuke,"_ it sounded amused…but not the type of amusement that Sasuke liked.

It was defiantly too late to turn back now, since the man knew he was here, so he reached for the door, hesitating for a moment when his fingers slipped around the handle before opening it enough to let himself in. He shut the door behind him, but didn't touch the lock—if he had to bolt, there would be no lock preventing him from doing that—and walked into the dimly lit room.

When he first arrived, he hadn't noticed the man sitting in the cushion seat, but had focused his attention on the room. It was somewhat like an apartment, holding a seating room with the bathroom and bedroom to one side. The only thing that was missing that would have been in an apartment would be the kitchen, though to room itself held a small little bar anyways.

Sasuke's eyes travelled more around the room, taking in the atmosphere. It wasn't as lavish as the many other rooms the man would normally pick, but rather, it was far simpler than the classy type of rooms that hotel could have easily offered. That confused Sasuke, knowing the man liked only the best of things. Being in this room just made things seem a little _too_ suspicious.

A closing of a book startled Sasuke's attention onto the man who placed it on the small table beside his chair before he looked up at him. "Konnichiwa, Sasuke-kun."

"K-Konnichiwa" Sasuke said quickly, bowing slightly. _Shit, shit, shit, I'm already falling out of character,_ he thought desperately, but wasn't sure how to change back now. It was almost like he'd lost control once again.

"Why don't you sit down, and I'll pour some wine out," the man said, standing up when Sasuke abruptly spoke.

"I-I can't stay long," he said, looking away from the man. "I-I'm meeting with Haruno-san"

"At ten o'clock?" the man asked, walking over to the bar. "I highly doubt that Sasuke-kun." The man didn't seem annoyed by the way Sasuke had quickly spoken, but more or less, _amused_ at the way Sasuke was desperately searching for a way out already. "Take a seat, Sasuke-kun, we have much to discuss."

Sasuke swallowed his throat dry as he sat down on the cushion seat across from the one the man had been sitting at. "O-Orochimaru, I'm serious. I can't stay long."

"Nonsense" Orochimaru replied, handing a glass of wine to Sasuke who weakly took it before he sat down across from him. "I came back to make sure you are alright, seeing since I have known you since you were ten."

Yeah, Sasuke remember why he began seeing Orochimaru. His mother had been distraught that Sasuke had become quiet and isolated, had the continuos gleam of fear in his eyes. She became distressed when Sasuke fled the room when his father appeared or the way he never ate in front of his father…actually, he barely at back then. It had been out of fear for his health that his mother had forced him to see a psychiatrist. To be truthful, after meeting Orochimaru, his life had begun to go back on track until he was somewhat older and realised the man was nothing but a-

"So how have you been since you heard the news of your mother's death?"

Sasuke swallowed and placed the glass down, not sure if he should drink it or not—mainly he decided against it since he didn't know what the bastard put in it anyways—before he spoke nervously. "What do you think? I've been somewhat…distressed."

"I don't blame you, you loved you mother a lot."

Orochimaru knew he like he knew the back of his hand. Sasuke never really revealed how important his mother was to strangers, but the man had the ability to see through him…and his lies. Sasuke nodded, sitting forward a little. "I found out some distressing news after her death as well and I've been rather worried for my own health after hearing it."

"What was it?"

"My mother…no, not just her, but my whole family that has passed away were actually murdered."

Orochimaru began choking on his wine, looking at Sasuke with pure shock. "M-Murdered, by who?"

"Itachi didn't know who, but who ever it is, clearly just hates our family." Sasuke shivered, remembering how Itachi had cooed the last sentences. Sasuke didn't doubt his brother's skills, but knowing someone was out to kill their family made Sasuke somewhat worried, though he'd only just remember that conversation just now.

"How did Itachi work it out?"

Sasuke stopped talking, remembering that no one knew what his brothers real profession was. "It wasn't Itachi; it was the doctors who were monitoring mother. You knew how she was sick, well; she had just gotten better when she suddenly died."

Orochimaru looked just as shocked as anyone would—if they believed that of course. "Gosh, that must have been hard to hear. It was a pity no one could have stopped it."

Yeah…it really was a real pity.

* * *

**(1) Just in case I didn't mention this, but Neji is rather like Naruto in the sense of being cheeky, but he covers it well around most people. The only people who's actually seen this side of Neji is those who went to school with him. Everyone else sees a far more "matured" man.**


	7. Chapter 06

**A/N: Sorry for the lateness. I've been caught up with final exams and overdue school work. All I can say is that I suck at writing news clippings etc. I hope I get the point across though =D Anyways, here's chapter six. Hopefully I have the next one up soon.  
**

* * *

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter Six**

Naruto had not being able to stop thinking about Uchiha-sensei's "problem" at all. Naruto had attempted several times to drop the issue and move on, but he began to wonder if this had anything to do with what Uchiha-sensei had spluttered out the day before? All his friends had noticed Naruto's uneasiness, and before Naruto knew it, he had been dragged out of his apartment and to the shopping halls where they'd gone to see a movie, despite Naruto needing to head to his lessons soon. However, Naruto had allowed them to break through to him and he managed to force everything back into his mind until an awkward situation happened.

It had been when they were walking through the shops, when Naruto began feeling rather edgy again, as if something back was going to happen any moment. He told himself to forget it, but the suspicious just kept on rising. It probably didn't help the fact that he'd just sat and watched a movie about Yakuza wars. Maybe he should have recommended a romance or something, rather than a thriller.

"You seem on edge," Kiba commented as they headed towards the bathrooms after the movie. "In fact, you look extremely pale. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing," Naruto reassured him with a smile that he knew Kiba could see through. He slipped into a cubical before Kiba could question him further and pressed his head against the door, wincing. Why couldn't he forget about what Hyuuga-sensei and Uchiha-sensei were talking about? It made him too curious, but he knew he shouldn't tread into it any more than he was already treading.

Naruto went about his business and fled before Kiba could catch him, walking over to his friends explaining he had his lessons to go to before he ran for it. However, instead of heading for his lesson, Naruto went to the library instead, booking out a computer near the back of the library where he wouldn't be seen.

At first, Naruto questioned his motives before he shoved them in the back of his mind and opened up the Internet. He focused on doing some of this work before the temptation to search the Internet for anything about his sensei grew to the point it annoyed him no matter how hard he tried.

Warily, Naruto opened up Google and typed in what he wanted to look up before backspacing and changing what it said. _"Uchiha Incident"_ he typed before searching, frowning at the results. One that took his interest was titled _"The Attack on the Uchiha Family, 15 years ago"._

Clicking on the link, Naruto flipped back to his work, letting it load. He left it alone for a few minutes before flipping back to the tab, bitting his lip as he began to skim over the page, his eyes catching something rather interesting.

**"…_no one knows to this day why the youngest son of the Uchiha Family was attacked, but Officer Umino is convinced this was not a whim, since the man involved in the incident had been previously convicted as a child molester. He had also been responsible for numerous murders in the past as well._**

**"_Quote from Officer Umino, 'the young child in question had been a victim of rape. The child, after the rape, has seemingly killed the man out of fear since when the child was found, he was holding the man's gun in his hands.'_**

**"_When paramedics arrived on the scene and examined the man, they proclaimed the man had been dead for at least an hour. The case was later closed by the boy's father."_**

Naruto sat back, frowning at the screen. It sounded about right, from what Uchiha-sensei had said. It made him feel rather…sick upon reading that so he closed the tab, bitting his thumb nail. He knew better than anyone to pry into other people's personal life, but it was just curiosity that pushed him. He knew, though, that the only way he could get the information he really wanted, he would have to ask his sensei, which he wouldn't dare do.

For a while, Naruto sat there, wondering if there was a way to find out more but he knew it wouldn't be there on the Internet. Logging out the computer, Naruto moved towards the filing cabinets where news paper articles were held, when he stopped, moving to the front desk instead. "Excuse me," he said to the librarian who looked up at him, their full attention on him. "I'm looking for information on the Uchiha Incident that happened fifteen years ago."

"I see," the librarian said as she turned to her computer, typing in just that. "I've found a news paper article. Would you like me to print it off?"

"Yes, that'll be helpful," Naruto said, feeling rather nervous and hoped he wasn't acting too suspicious.

The librarian handed him two pages after she printed it, smiling at him. "There you go."

"Um, thank you," Naruto returned the smile before heading over to the desk, looking through the two pages. The article, named _"Child molester and murder found shot dead"_, almost seemed unreal until Naruto began reading through the article.

**"…_in recent events, the man who had molested countless of children and killed dozens of people was found murdered in an abandon apartment with a child, Uchiha Sasuke, holding what was believed to be the mans gun._**

**"_The man, who was not allowed to be identified by the media, had kidnapped Uchiha-kun from his home two days earlier, and had raped the boy once they were hidden away. Reports claim that Uchiha-kun had killed the man with his own gun who had in fact turned the gun on the child, planning to murder him. Uchiha-kun is believed to have gotten the gun away and shot the man repeatedly until the bullets ran out._**

**"_It was an hour later when they were found. No one is sure how a ten year old boy did what he did, but the police believe it had been an act out of fear. The child has been reported—in the past—to suffer from mental trauma before and some believe this may have been a result to the murder…"_**

Naruto read to the end of the article before he found himself flying out the library door, his mind set on getting to his sensei just to make sure he was alright. Just reading about the "mental trauma" stated made Naruto suddenly understand his sensei perfectly. That whole issue had been there from the start. That was why his sensei hid behind a cloud of darkness, why his sensei was stern and tough…he was scared to look vulnerable. Couldn't _afford_ to be vulnerable, couldn't handle the thought of being weak. It was just how his sensei was.

After a moments thought, Naruto slowed into a walking pace before he finally stopped, realising his error. He couldn't just burst in and ask if his sensei was alright. If his sensei realised he knew about his condition, then it could upset him or make him angry. He had to think this through carefully. Like normal, it was a lesson, so he did have an excuse to go there, but to burst into the room and demand questions…that would be rather cruel of him. He had to act normally, and just watch his sensei harder but hide the fact that he's worried about his sensei.

Yes, that would work.

He moved onwards to his sensei's place, fiddling with the straps with his bag when he realised he still had the article in his hand. He quickly shoved it into his bag before he raced off towards his sensei's place. Damn, he was going to be murdered because he would be late!

* * *

"_Eeto…_"

He wasn't sure whether he should turn about and leave or accept that he had in fact walked in on something that looked rather…suss. Maybe he was just preserving the situation wrong. Maybe they'd been arguing, and Naruto's mind was just playing tricks. Of course, Naruto could not shake the feeling something _more_ may have been going on. After all, if you just walked into your sensei's house—admittedly uninvited in—and saw what he saw, you'd probably wouldn't doubt that little voice inside your head that screamed _"__**ARE THEY ABOUT TO HAVE SEX?**_"

Clearly, Naruto _had_ to be wrong because last time he checked; Hyuuga-sensei was pretty much straight…

…That was _last_ time he checked anyways.

"S-Should I ask?"

Uchiha-sensei looked a little pale—Naruto didn't blame him—and shook his head rather quickly. The fact that Hyuuga-sensei had pretty much taken off Uchiha-sensei shirt, and their _hair_ was a mess, and they both looked worn out made Naruto guess that Uchiha-sensei wanted to do nothing more but _forget_ this incident. "However, Uzumaki-kun," Uchiha-sensei spoke, shaking Hyuuga-sensei's hands away and began to fix himself "if you dare so think anything wrong was happening here, I may try to castrate you."

Was that meant to make Naruto feel better? "So I can assume you both were doing something completely and utterly moral while having your shirts half off-" or falling off "-and look like you ran a mile. So I can safely pretend you two were just…" Naruto wasn't sure how to finish and frowned. "You two weren't having sex or anything, right?"

Hyuuga-sensei began to splutter, choking on air while Uchiha-sensei narrowed his eyes. "Uzumaki-kun, I thought I made it clear that if you dare think anything wrong was taking place that I would try to castrate you."

"Sensei, from where I am standing, it looked like you two were pretty much making out."

Hyuuga just continued to splutter. "Uzumaki-kun, may I hint that Hyuuga-senpai has a lover already."

"Ah, so something scandalous, I see."

"Uzumaki!"

"Hai, hai, hai," Naruto waved his hands around and dropped his bag, rolling his shoulders. "You two were fighting then?"

"No, we weren't fighting."

"Then how the hell do you both look so worn out?"

Hyuuga-sensei began to clear his throat, trying to regain some control that he lost. "We look like that?"

Naruto nodded before grinning an evil grin "ne, ne, sensei. I never knew you were into guys. Is it the latest Fab now amongst male teachers or something? I mean, I always knew Hatake-sensei and Umino-sensei were gay for each other, but you and Hyuuga-sensei, who would have guessed."

Sensei did not looked at all pleased about what Naruto had said, but somehow, it made him feel so much better, seeing the way his sensei's face twisted with rage. Of course, he didn't say a thing to his comment; instead, Hyuuga-sensei spoke up. "Uzumaki-kun, could you please refrain yourself from using that kind of…attitude. I know what you saw may have looked rather…suss, but I can assure you, that the moment I _ever_ admit to liking Uchiha would mean it was the end of the world."

"Oh thanks," Uchiha-sensei muttered slightly but looked relieved Hyuuga-sensei stepped in. "Uzumaki, why are you here?"

"Lesson."

"Oh," it was clear his sensei had been "caught up in the moment" that he'd completely forgotten Naruto was meant to be coming over for that reason. Naruto just smiled when his sensei looked at his watch in confusion, shaking his head after a moment. "Alright, I see," he said before turning to Hyuuga-sensei. "We'll talk later."

"Later, sure, right, whatever," Hyuuga replied, rolling his shoulders before excusing himself from the place. Naruto took little to no attention when he did, looking at his sensei who started uncomfortably back.

"Uzumaki…" Uchiha began before he looked away, running his hand through his hair. "Please don't act in that manner. We weren't doing anything suss."

Somehow, Naruto felt himself thinking back on the first day here and smiled at Uchiha-sensei. "Were you two flirting or something, because if I recall, you probably wouldn't have cared if you were or not."

It took Uchiha-sensei a second to remember as well before his cunning teacher began to smirk, understanding it completely and answering with "Oh I see you're jealous again."

Maybe it didn't work as intended, "P-Pardon?"

"You're jealous."

"Am not" Naruto challenged, stomping over to him. "Why the hell would I be jealous?"

"Because you were jealous when I was flirting with his sister that time, remember?"

"That doesn't mean I am now!"

Hot in the face, Naruto spun around and crossed his arms, sulking. Like hell he was jealous of Hyuuga-sensei who just happened to be unnaturally _too_ close to sensei. However, Naruto doubted that was how he felt, maybe a little confused, but not jealous. Naruto continued to sulk for a moment when hands wrapped around his waist, startling him a little. Sensei's affection lately was rather unnerving, not that Naruto really wanted to think back to his sensei kissing him or anything.

The memory of that—and the current situation—just made his face turn the shade of red. "I reckon you're jealous," sensei's words were low, almost humble if Naruto was desperate to find a word to explain the way his sensei spoke. Then again, maybe humble was a ridiculous word to explain it. "It's not that embarrassing to admit, now is it?"

"Sensei, are you trying to make me a love-sick puppy?"

"I don't know, _are_ you a love-sick puppy when it comes to me?"

Was his sensei even being serious? Despite Naruto telling himself that was the case, he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe his sensei was really dead-set about it. Was he actually interested to know how Naruto really _felt_ about his sensei?

Whatever it was, it was making this very awkward. "S-Sensei, we have a lesson."

"But this is more amusing."

Damn him, he was playing with Naruto once again. _Sometimes people never change…_the comment whizzed through his head before he regretted thinking so. His sensei had changed, maybe several times, throughout his life. Naruto had no right to say otherwise. "Sensei…did you ever really see someone about what happened when you were a kid."

His sensei stiffed against him and the hands tightened. With that action, Naruto immediately saw the bruise on his wrist, but didn't announce it. Suddenly, everything fell in place. "I did, I think I mentioned it before-" if he did, Naruto had clearly forgotten "-but I did see someone for a long time. At least, until the end of University where Hyuuga-senpai convinced me that it was clearly not helping me much, and if it was doing anything, it was making things worse."

"So Hyuuga-sensei sorta stepped in and asked for you to rethink, then?"

"Well, I didn't listen to him for a long moment. That was when he dragged _everyone_ into the situation. He got his lover involved too—and I have to say, they're one hell of a bitch when riled—and then he got Hyuuga-chan to try and convince me and when they both failed, he called upon Hatake-senpai, Umino-senpai and my brother who all sat down with me and pleaded with me to think twice about it. They didn't believe I was improving and wanted me to try and take the step forwards by myself, and if I did need help, they would be there."

"So you stopped seeing that person?"

"No," it was blunt, yet sharp enough to stab right through Naruto. It left Naruto feeling rather, unsettled. "I did try though, but…he always had a way to lure me back, whether I knew it or not."

"What do you mean?"

His sensei pulled up his sleeve revealing more of what Naruto had seen. "I got use to the abuse, I guess…no, I fell in love with the abuse. The fact that I could cause so much pain to my body captivated me, it made me forget the mental pain…but I didn't help it. I get weaker each time I allow him to take over me, but I don't know what else to do with myself."

"Maybe you need to find someone who loves you and wants to help you," Naruto suggested and regretted it. He shouldn't have said that.

"Who'd love a man with my name?"

"I know a million girls who'd drop to your feet though," Naruto muttered but understood the statement. Sensei would have to tell that person everything, and it was something he could not afford to do if the relation ended badly. It could be broadcast and that would be it.

"Naruto-kun, I don't tell people this unless I trust them."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you _think_, Uzumaki," the hands tightened, drawing Naruto attention to how his sensei was grasping him. "I _trust_ you."

"Y-You don't even know me."

The chuckle in his ear told him otherwise. "I don't know you _yet_, but I know I will."

* * *

It was meant to be summer, yet all they had had recently was rain, _pouring_ rain.

Sitting at the window of his bedroom, Naruto stared out into the clouded sky, in his lap the book he was currently reading. He still couldn't shake his sensei's weird actions away. Everything felt weird, and it scared him witless. _I'm just thinking too hard,_ Naruto told himself as he opened the book and began to read from where he was up too. He had found recently that the book his sensei wrote were rather addicting, and began to pick up similarities between the main character and his sensei.

They both grew up in tormented lives. They shared similar characteristics, yet somehow the main character had in fact pushed past his fear of being alone, misplaced while his sensei still hid in the darkness. There were also things about the main character that were completely and utterly wrong. The main character may have similar characteristics, but he was far more wild and action-packed while sensei wasn't.

Actually, if Naruto put his mind to it, the character was just like _him_.

_Did I influence him?_ Naruto wondered, before shaking his head. _No, you idiot. This was sensei's first novel, which if I remember correctly, he wrote it at the end of high school. The character is far more like Hyuuga-sensei._

That was right, Hyuuga-sensei apparently had the same personality as Naruto yet he had grown up over time and had in fact matured. Yet, maybe this was sensei's way of trying to keep himself sane.

Smiling to himself, Naruto found himself once again drawn into the book, dreading the fact he had maybe less than fifty pages before the end, and then what was he going to do? Naruto frowned to himself before shaking his head. He would have to borrow the next book out, now wouldn't he? Naruto tried to focus on the next words when he found that this next scene was going to be the most crucial.

**_It didn't matter how much I tried to accept my past, I knew it was going to be pointless in the end if I did not do this one last drastic thing. "I promised you, Hanako," I said calmly, glancing over my shoulder, smiling my signature smile at her. "I promised you that no matter what, I was going to do this right. I was going to show you and the world that I am going to be successful."_**

**"_What do you mean, Katsuo?" she asked, somewhat on edge. "You really believe you're strong enough to defeat him?"_**

**"_Who said anything about defeating," I replied, swinging my arms behind my head as I began to walk towards the large, Blackwood gates. "I'm going to bring Tsubasa__ back!"_**

**_I spun around in mid-step, startling her as I shoved my hand forwards, clenched as a fist. She knew what it meant, I knew she did._**

**"_I promise you with my life…that I will _never_ let him leave us again!"_**

Now where did _that_ sound familiar? **(1)** Naruto smiled to himself and leaned back, flipping to the next chapter, starting to wonder if the protagonist was really going to be able to save his friend as he proclaimed. Would he do it because he loved that girl, or was he really determined to save his friend?

_I guess I'll have to wait and find out, now won't I?_

* * *

**(1) Heh, Naruto manga xD you know the scene where Sakura asks Naruto to save Sasuke, well, it was inspired by that scene. (Hanako – Sakura, Katsuo – Naruto, Tsubasa – Sasuke) xD**


	8. Chapter 07

**Note:** Sorry for how late this has been. A lot has gone on (I got sick for starts, then there was family issues and then school, then wouldn't let me update anyways) and not to mention I couldn't get on because my computer was being a poo head xD But I'm back. I'm gonna update the chapters I have, which is up to ten, so I hope you enjoy the next four chapters =D Sorry for any mistake!

* * *

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter Seven**

_I made a promise, and there was no way in hell that I was going to go against it. For Hanako's sake, for Tsubasa's sake. No, I was never going to surrender; I was going to fight the darkness. I was not going to let it win!_

...

_Something did seem right there…Hmm, what could it be?_ Sasuke frowned at the typed words and deleted it after a while, thinking again on how to rephrase it. Behind him, flipping through a printed version was Haruno-san who made little noises to indicate when something felt right or wrong. Ignoring her, though, Sasuke focused on the text before him.

...

_There was no way the darkness inside me was going to win this battle. No matter how much it played with my mind, no matter how much it tormented my friends, I was not going to lose. I __**couldn't**__ lose this battle. I made that promise, that one to Hanako. I was not going to break it, not in this life time. I promised to save Tsubasa, and I was not going against that word!_

_...  
_

_Ah, that sounds a little better…I guess._ Sasuke frowned harder before groaning loudly, sliding down in his chair. "Haruno-san, must I write this _now_? I have no inspiration to write."

"Stop sulking, you own me from not saying _anything_ to your brother," Haruno-san snapped, still hurt from the night they'd bumped into each other at the hotel. "Now write."

If Sasuke had bothered to listen harder, he might have caught the "you bastard" that had slipped out of her lips then. Since Sasuke didn't, he was clueless to that snide comment and glared at the computer screen.

Four hours…she had made him sit here for four hours and still he had not made it past chapter ten. In fact, he was still currently working on the beginning of that chapter, which was the first paragraph now that was pissing him off completely. Sighing he worked on to the next paragraph.

_With the last bit of courage and strength I had left, I pushed myself to my feet, wiping the blood that trickled down my lip. This was only one dilemma, one small dilemma that was in my way to saving Tsubasa before he did something stupid. "I'm not scared of you," I stated calmly, bravely. "You may be some sort of dark form, a dark __**clone**__ of me, but I know something you may not know." The dark silhouette tilted its head to the side, slightly confused. "I know my own flaw."_

_Ok, that was a load of bullshit, but it wasn't like that thing needed to know anyways._

"I don't want to write a fight scene," Sasuke muttered, getting to his feet and stretching. "I think that's it for-"

"Sit. Your. Ass. Down!"

Sasuke was back in his seat seconds after the words slipped from Haruno-san's mouth. He waited for a long moment before he sighed, turning his chair to face Haruno-san who read through what there was of the manuscript. "Haruno-san, what can I do to apologize for-"

"There is nothing you can do," Haruno-san snapped at him, turning to glare at Sasuke. "Unless you finish this novel, I may take accept your apology."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, standing up again. "Haruno-san, I'll state to you calmly. You're the _editor_, not the freaking author. You know nothing about writing and know nothing about how freaking hard it is to write a successful story."

"Of course I don't," Haruno-san agreed, placing the manuscript down and giving him her full attention. "And I'll state that you are a author and I am a editor, and you know _nothing_ about _my_ job."

"That isn't true," Sasuke snapped, stomping over to her. "I'm a teacher, I have the gist of what shit you go through when it comes to editing work."

Her smile was a nice one. "That's only one part of my job, Uchiha-san."

The fact that she was being so formal made him worried. Had he really damaged their friendship over something minor? Running his hand through his hair, he began to wonder if there was a way to make it up to her. The last thing he wanted was to be on bad terms with her, since she could probably send him flying through at least ten walls if she actually punched him out.

…Then again, was it already too late to run from the "Haruno Hurricane"?

"Haruno-san…?"

"Uchiha-san."

"Pack up your stuff," he said very quietly, turning away. "I'll take you out to dinner, and we'll discuss whatever you want to talk about. Hell…" he winced, "if you want to slam me through ten walls, go ahead."

Haruno-san was silent for a moment before standing up, shoving the manuscript into her bag and grabbed him, dragging him towards the door. "Alright," was all she said and she was silent the whole way to the restaurant.

* * *

"I'm worried about you."

Sasuke looked up at Haruno-san, shocked. She had not spoken once to him since they had left the house, yet now she was looking at him, confident that she was finally going to get her say. "You're worried about me?"

"Yes" she stated, fiddling with her wine glass. "I hate the way you tell me nothing and then pretend there is nothing wrong when I begin to question. I know I'm just your editor, but I still feel I should worry about you and know of things that are bothering you. So from now on, I want you to tell me everything and anything that's bothering you."

"Haruno-san, I don't just think of you as my editor," Sasuke stated, feeling he needed to say that, and then he sighed. He didn't meet her gaze; instead he looked around the room, speaking again. "My mother's funeral is tomorrow," he said sadly, closing his eyes.

"Oh," Haruno-san looked just and pitiful as he felt. She had thought highly of Sasuke's mother, and had been just as upset as him when she found out about her death. "I-I'm sorry, if I knew I wouldn't hav-"

"No," Sasuke raised his hand, cutting her off. "You didn't know. The funeral was going to be very private so there was no way you were going to know. I mean, I only found out last night myself. Now all I need to do is debate whether I'm going to go and face my father or…"

"You should go," Haruno-san urged him, gripping his hands—and startling him as she did—her eyes pinning him to the chair. "She's your mother. Fuck it if your father's going to be there."

Sasuke laughed, amused at her direct comment. "That's what I've been thinking all night, Haruno-san. She _is_ my mother, but since knowing that, she wouldn't be upset if I didn't go. She knows my _fear_ for my father and would more or less encourage me to keep clear of him, however…"

This would be his last chance to say goodbye. He never really did get his goodbye since she had passed away in the morning before his visit. Of course, it wasn't like he didn't see her every morning before her passing, but he still felt…raw over it. He allowed his distress echo in another long and deep sigh. "I…I could go with you," Haruno-san's voice was humble, and she looked uncertain whether she had the right to speak.

"I couldn't ask a thing like that from you. To get caught up in this mess…" Sasuke shook his head. "I thank you for your kindness, but you shouldn't just jump into this mess like so many other people have." Not name any names _(cough, Kakashi, cough)_.

"But-"

"Please," Sasuke raised his hands up, wanting the conversation dropped. "Let's discuss something else," his lips curled up into a smirk and he leaned forward, his eyes shinning in interest. "Like this new fellow you're seeing."

Her face burned up and she looked away, coughing into her hand all sorts of curses. The one that made him chuckle was "bastard" which seemed to be repeated a few dozen times. "Why should I tell you anything about that?"

"Oh, I don't know. I do classify you as a friend, and therefore, it's my duty to pry into your life. I mean, if the guy your dating is a bastard and he causes problems for you, then it's my duty as your friend to send in somewhat flying half way to the Great Wall!"

"I doubt you could take him on."

"Oh really?"

Haruno-san looked at him from the corner of her eyes before she stood. "I'm going to use the bathroom," she announced, fleeing before he could arise any sort of argument. Not that Sasuke was going to in the first place, since there was plenty of time to arise that matter afterwards.

Instead, Sasuke focused on the area around him, looking around the restaurant, wondering what Hyuuga-chan would have said if she came in here. He might have to invite her out to this place one day in the near future. He was sure she would love it to pieces.

While he pondered on that, he failed to notice the person sitting on the other side of the room, watching him with small, curious eyes, a smirk pressing his lips. No, if Sasuke had noticed him by now, he may have bolted the room hours ago…but he hadn't.

* * *

It was some time after Sasuke had dropped off Haruno-san when Sasuke suddenly felt that going home was dangerous…_very_ dangerous. However, exhaustion was kicking at him too much to actually pay attention to his gut feeling, so he didn't avoid his home at all. He didn't even notice the danger until he was stepping through the front door. If only he had sensed it early, he might have been able to escape it before now.

"W-What are you doing here?"

The man smirked darker at him before standing up, fixing his shirt. "I'm just curious to see if my darling son was going to come to his mother's funeral tomorrow afternoon."

Slamming the door shut behind him, Sasuke leaned against it, growling low. It wasn't like he could toss his father out the door, but right now; all Sasuke wanted was to face the bastard before tomorrow. "I'm still thinking about it."

"There shouldn't be any _thinking about it_ in there, Sasuke. There should be "yes" or "no", so answer me again. Are you going tomorrow?" This time, there was no dark amusement.

Sasuke bit his lip, not sure how to answer. Was he going to go now? At least he wasn't going to need to face his father tomorrow since he was already doing that now. However, since Sasuke had no answer, he slammed a question with another question. "I thought you loathed the city, so what's the real reason you're here?

Sasuke's father crossed his arms, his eyebrows furrowing deeply down. "Sasuke, don't answer me with questions."

"Why should I answer any of yours if you don't answer any of mine?" Sasuke countered, knowing he was going the right way for a beating. The thought of that was beginning to show on his face now, fear, weakness…_desperation_.

"Because I'm your father, I don't need to answer any of your ridiculous questions."

His father took a few steps forward, making Sasuke nervous, sick in the guts. "I'm going tomorrow," Sasuke said quickly, making his father stop. "I-I'll be there tomorrow."

"That's good to hear," his father replied, his eyes still dark with anger. "And what about coming home? Have you thought about that?"

"I-I'm never returning home!" Sasuke almost cried out, fearing seeping in his voice. He couldn't handle being caught in his father's trap anymore than he was. All he wanted was just to escape again, to hide from the man before he ensnared him once again. "I-I'll never allow you to control me like you did!"

It was stupid of him to blurt out those words, before he saw the anger leak from his father's eyes and across his face. "What?" his voice was very quiet, very dangerous. His father took a few more steps, and before Sasuke had a chance to run, his father had pinned him right against the door, trapping any chance of escape Sasuke might have had. "What did you say?"

Was it better to tell the truth or lie about the whole thing? Either way, Sasuke knew he was going to get whacked for it. "I-I said I'll never allow you to control me again," Sasuke tried to speak calmly, but he couldn't shake the fear, the shivers that danced up his spine and into his voice.

His father leaned in real close, giving Sasuke a good chance to see the rage in his eyes and slammed his eyes shut, shaking with fear. He could already see what his father was going to do, but instead of pain, he heard a very dark and dangerous chuckle. "You're a fool, Sasuke. I will always control you, no matter how much you deny it. _You're terrified of me_."

Of course he was who wouldn't be? Anyone in the right mind would be horrified of the man who used to beat them as a child, just because they were imperfect.

The thought brought tears to his eyes, making his father chuckle more. "What are you going to do, Sasuke? You don't have your mother to run to anymore. She's not going to kiss you wounds better, not going to stroke your hair and tell you things are ok. She's long gone, and you only have _me_ to come running too."

"L-Liar" Sasuke whispered, refusing to look at his father. "I-I have Itachi-nii-san…" he whispered, feeling the body pin him completely against the door. "I-I'll always have him."

"Are you sure? He's always in danger, always fighting for himself. Do you think he's going to be able to protect you forever?"

His hands grabbed hold of his father's shirt, unable to stop sobbing, his legs weak. "I hate you," Sasuke whispered, sliding to the floor. "I hate you so much."

"That's a horrible thing to say," a hand reached down, grasping Sasuke's chin painfully, forcing Sasuke to look up at him. "Am I going to have to punish you like I did in the past?"

Sasuke's eyes widen in sheer fear. _No!_ He couldn't allow this to happen, not again!

* * *

At first, the voices sound very distanced, but as Sasuke listened harder, he began to realise those voices were somewhat closer than he assumed. Slowly, Sasuke opened his eyes into a brightly lit room. He had trouble remembering what exactly happened moments ago, but as the memory formed, the more he realised the voices. _Itachi?_

Sitting up fast—keeping the gagging reflex at bay as he did so—Sasuke immediately turned to face the voice. Itachi had grasped his father's shirt, ready to punch him. _I have to stop this._ However, Sasuke could not speak, and grasped his throat when he realised. "Sasuke?" Itachi's voice brought Sasuke's attention to them.

Itachi looked sick in the face, a mighty bruise forming on his chin, but your father looked worse with a black eye and a bloody lip. Whatever had happened between those two wasn't pretty. Itachi immediately pulled away from his father and raced over to Sasuke, wrapping his arms around him. "I-Ita-"

"Don't speak, Sasuke," Itachi whispered before he apologizes over and over again. It lasted a few minutes before Itachi turned his focus on his father. "When will you ever learn to give it the quits?"

Sasuke's father didn't reply to Itachi at first, looking out into the dark garden before he fully turned to them, a large smirk across his face. "I never will, because the two of you belong to me."

"When the sun rises in hell" Itachi growled, letting go of Sasuke who quickly grabbed his shirt, trying to stop him. "You have only brought misery to this family and I promise you, when the time comes, I'll be the one to shot those brains out of your head."

"Itachi!" Sasuke finally choked out, grasping Itachi's shirt, trying to stop him. "P-Please stop this! I don't care anymore! Just please...please stop!

Itachi growled, but backed down. Sasuke buried his face into Itachi's shirt. He could hear his father move to the door. "Are you happy now?" Itachi whispered, holding Sasuke close. "Are you satisfied that you've broken Sasuke down to this point? Or do you want to do more? Do you seriously enjoy torturing his body, his _mind_ just to prove your point?

_What?_ Sasuke quietened down, wanting to hear his father's answer. What did Itachi mean by that? "Maybe I am," his father replied as he opened the door. "Maybe I am satisfied that I've broken him down to this point...just to prove you right."

And then the door slammed shut, startling Sasuke enough to flinch. All he could hear was his brother cursing above him, the only thing that he could hear. "I'm sorry," Itachi whispered, rubbing his cheek against Sasuke's hair.

Sasuke closed his eyes and sighed, trying to take a mental step forward again, trying to regain the ground he lost. These was still so much that Sasuke didn't know, but at the moment, that was alright. He would ask questions...when he gained his broken ground again…

…And when the afternoon came about, Sasuke didn't see his father at the funeral, nor did he see him as the grave was placed into the ground. That didn't matter, that was fine. He could deal with that.

That was perfectly fine.


	9. Chapter 08

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter Eight**

Something was violently wrong, but the more Naruto tried to work on what it was, the more he felt like he couldn't see what it was. Sensei had called off their lesson that week of his sensei's mother's funeral, but now they were working back in routine…

The funeral had been two weeks ago, and still, Naruto couldn't work out—from that day—what the hell was wrong with his sensei.

It wouldn't be the first time to see his sensei completely withdrawn, but it was bugging Naruto a lot. He tried to ignore the dread feeling, but whenever he caught a glimpse of his sensei's eyes…there was something Naruto didn't like about them. They were too dark, and then there was the jumpy personality.

His sensei was in a wrecked state, but there was no way to work out why he was so.

Naruto was now determined to work out what hell was wrong before he gain any more sleepless nights.

* * *

"Ne, ne sensei" Naruto chirped, looking up to focus on his sensei.

Naruto noticed the way his sensei turned his attention from the window to Naruto with a rather quick—possibly startled—action. Deciding whether to mention or ignore it, Naruto waited for his sensei to regain his balance again, deserved him right, however, for turning around like that when he was already unstable. "What is it Uzumaki?" he asked after he finally got his balance back.

"Did something happen over the last few weeks, sensei? You've been really…edgy."

His sensei frowned, turning away again. "I guess you can say I've been on edgy…" he replied in a very quiet voice. Naruto would admit, his sensei was normally quiet in the voice…when he wasn't yelling, but there was just something in the tone that make Naruto worry—for reasons he didn't know of course.

They both were quiet for a long moment; Naruto focusing hard on his work, wanting to get it finished so he could corner his sensei and demand to know what the hell was wrong with him when his sensei moved away from the window and sat down on the couch, right next to where Naruto sat on the floor. Perfect, Naruto could work with that. "Do you wanna talk about it?" he asked quietly, glancing from the corner of his eye to see what his sensei's expression would be.

Instead of a denying or angry face, his sensei sighed and closed his eyes, resting his head on his hand. He looked…young all of a sudden. Much younger than he ever did. There sat his sensei—his sensei who was so grown up, and mature—looking like he was eighteen all over again. Suddenly, what had been a balance between them shrank and they were finally on the same levelled ground. "I told you about my father right?"

"That he's a bastard who deserves to rot in hell, yeah, sure," Naruto kept his eyes on his work, though he didn't touch it.

"I ran into him."

Naruto's pen slipped from his fingers and he turned all his attention to Uchiha-sensei, who had been watching for a reaction. "Y-Your f-father? W-Where, at the funeral?"

"No, the night before the funeral," Uchiha-sensei replied before looking at Naruto's work. "If you've finished with the question, then why not go out for coffee or something" and what balance and level Naruto had just had slipped away as his sensei returned to his more mature self. _Coffee, a teacher's vital tool to survive, ha, _Naruto wondered with a frown.

"I guess I am," Naruto said slowly, looking down at the sheet he'd been filling in. Why did English have to be such a hard subject?

"Good," Uchiha-sensei said, standing up and stretching. "I've needed a good cup of coffee in days now." If that was a joke, it wasn't very good, but Naruto allowed himself a small smile anyways.

* * *

He'd always known Uchiha-sensei as a quiet yet moody teacher from Hell. Everyone called him the demon teacher in fact, but he had begun to see something different about his sensei. Just like his past students who had also done extra courses with him talked about a side their sensei rarely showed. Not to mention, even now, they came to visit said teacher and they all got along well. It seemed to be the only time Uchiha-sensei smiled such a beautiful smile rather than that rather cocky one he had on his lips whenever he talked to other students.

Now that Naruto was seeing this side of his sensei, he began to wonder why his sensei was so distant when he could have a good relation with all his students if he lightened his mood more. Of course, Naruto wouldn't mention such a thing because he'd probably get him.

However…Naruto _knew_ his sensei was very kind-hearted, and he was now determined to get him to express that side a little more than he already did.

"What are you thinking about?"

Uchiha-sensei's voice startled Naruto back into reality. He whipped his head around to his sensei before he began to realise they were approaching the café. It was weird heading there with sensei rather than Kiba or Shikamaru. That reminded him, when was it the last time he spoken to his friends? He'd have to arrange a meet up day for them all. "Oh, things," Naruto replied with his wicked smile. "Like how I'm going tom expose the rather nice sensei to his students so he can _actually_ have a good relation with them _all_ rather than the odd few."

"I do have friends," his sensei replied, sounding annoyed. "I have quite a lot of friend's thank you very much."

"Let's exclude all of the teachers, because they don't count."

"I still have a lot of friends, Uzumaki, _excluding_ all the teachers at the school."

Naruto pouted as Uchiha-sensei walked into the café, making his trail behind him "and excluding previous students!"

"Naruto, you're not going to win."

It startled Naruto when Uchiha-sensei smiled at him with such a gentle smile. However, what startled Naruto the most was the fact that his sensei called him by his first name, rather than Uzumaki or Uzumaki-kun. There was something gentle about that action it self. His sensei spoke again, pointing at a table and saying he was going to order them something to drink and eat. Naruto didn't think he could speak so he just nodded and did what he was told to do. He found himself sitting down right next to the window, trying to unbundled his mind that seemed to be speeding around in circles, screaming "WHAT THE HELL?" over and over again.

What was this feeling…? He was…happy his sensei called him in such a gentle manner.

_No!_ Naruto thought quickly, shaking his head to clear his mind. _That's not the reason! Sensei finally smiled! The first actually smile I'd seen for the last two weeks!_ That had to be the reason it made Naruto feel better. That _had_ to be the reason!

"Here you go," Naruto jumped when his sensei placed the steaming hot chocolate in front of him before sitting down. "Did I startle you back to reality again, Uzumaki?"

Naruto growled and ignored the comment…and was that a cocky smile he saw? Damn it! "No," Naruto muttered, having a sip from his drink.

"Sure, sure," his sensei replied with a laugh. Naruto frowned lightly as his sensei turned to look out the window. _He seems…happier being outside of the house…_Naruto's frown deepened as he began to wonder what the hell was going on. Unless…

"Sensei, where did you bump into your father?"

Stupid idiot, he saw how Uchiha-sensei stiffened at the comment. It took him a long moment to finally look back at Naruto. "Why are you asking?"

"Because…in the house you seemed rather…edgy but now you're outside, you seem happier, lively. Did something happen at home?" It was across sensei's face, the whole debating moment whether to talk or not so Naruto acted quickly. "Y-You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to tell me anything!"

"It's not that," Uchiha-sensei placed his coffee cup down on the table, sighing. "I arrived home after going out to dinner with Haruno-san the night before the funeral, and you've probably guessed it…my father was waiting for me. Things happened, my brother arrived to stop it and then my father left. I didn't even see him at the funeral, which has thrown me slightly off balance since my father did love my mother a lot."

Naruto bowed his head, deep in thought. Why was he out having dinner with his editor anyways? "Ne, ne sensei, are you in love with Haruno-san, your editor?"

He'd timed it well. His sensei began choking on his coffee, his face going bright red, but Naruto wasn't sure if it was because he was choking, because he was embarrassed or he found the comment utterly amusing. "P-Pardon?" there was defiantly laughter in his voice…besides the fact he was choking there.

"Are you in love with your editor?"

"O-Of course not!" Uchiha-sensei finally said after he had a moment of laughter. "Dear Lord, why would I do a mental thing like that?"

"Again, you're making her sound evil," Naruto muttered, remembering the time he met her at sensei's place.

"She _is_ evil, Uzumaki. There's not "making" her evil in it," Uchiha-sensei said with a chuckle. The mood around them seemed a lot lighter again. "Hell, that woman was ready to throw me out the window that night because of how angry she was at me, so to try and shift the mood, I asked her out to dinner, all expensive paid for in an exchange to hear what was going through her head. It just turned out she was worried about my wellbeing."

"But isn't that a good thing?"

"Considering the fact she was about to whip me, I think not."

Naruto looked at him with confusion. "Whip you?"

Uchiha-sensei chuckled again. "She was forcing me to write a scene I didn't want to write at the time. She threatened to kick my ass a few times until I turned around and announced that the both of us should go out for dinner. I needed to escape because if I sat there trying to write the scene I couldn't be bothered to write at the time…I would probably have ruined the story."

"I see," it made sense, since Haruno-san was Uchiha-sensei's editor.

"You still look confused Uzumaki," his sensei comment, obviously about to finish his coffee.

"I'm just wondering why you talk about all this with me…" Naruto admitted, making Uchiha-sensei frown, lowering his cup.

"Didn't I tell you already? I trust you, Uzumaki. I think I've told you that before."

"Oh yeah," Naruto exclaimed, whacking his fist into his other hand. "The day you tried molesting me."

Again, Naruto timed it well as Uchiha-sensei choked on the last of his coffee. "_M-Molest!_"

Naruto grinned at his sensei, seeing how that thrown him completely off balance. "Yeah! You know, the day I walked in on you and Hyuuga-sensei having sex-"

"We were _not_ having sex!"

"-and you claimed I was jealous and then you wrapped your arms around me and got _reeeeeeeal_ close and yeah! You tried molesting me that day!"

"I did _not_!" Uchiha-sensei argued back, his face glowing red with embarrassment. "When did I?"

"But you did try," Naruto insisted, enjoying the situation. It was funny to see his sensei utterly embarrassed. "Remember, remember? You were so close to me it made me utterly awkward! You even chuckled into my ear, remember?"

His sensei was silent for a moment before he ran his finger around the rim of the coffee mug, a smirk growing across his lips. _Ah shit!_ "I guess I did consider it for a moment." Shit, why did he sound so serious?

"Ne, sensei, I was joking you know," Naruto said weakly.

"And I'm being serious."

Naruto bolt up in his chair before falling back, startled. "S-Sensei!"

His sensei just laughed, standing up and walking around, his hand out to help him up. "I'm joking, Uzumaki-kun," his sensei teased as he pulled the blonde to his feet.

"B-B-But you sounded so serious," Naruto choked out as he got back onto his feet.

"Because I'm a serious person, I guess," his sensei smiled, once again, so gently at him. Really, if his sensei smiled like this all the time, maybe then more people would like him. "Come along, let's head back."

* * *

They had made a small detour through the park on their way home. They didn't speak to each other, in fact, this time Uchiha-sensei was deep in thought, but that didn't matter. Naruto was just glad to be away from the café but he began to worry about what would happen when the returned to the manner. He needed a distraction…_any_ distraction!

"Sensei," Naruto said a little too hastily. "What do you think my topic for history should be in the new school year?"

His sensei looked at him, confused, before he was back in thought. "I don't know, I wasn't even aware of you doing such a hard course, Uzumaki."

_He's making me sound dumb,_ Naruto thought with annoyance but ignored it. "I love history, actually," Naruto replied, taking a few steps ahead of his sensei. "My God-Father got me into it. He said my father adored history, loved looking up all the events that had happened and could name a number of events off the top of his head. I've always wondered why my father loved history, so I looked into it. I find it interesting, and there's so much I could do under the subject that I don't know what to do."

"Well, what's something you're interested in?" Uchiha-sensei asked his pace slowing. "I like a lot of medieval history myself, but never enough to actually look into the topic."

"Medieval Japan's pretty cool," Naruto turned around, walking backwards and smiling at his sensei. "So is medieval England, and Joan of Arc is an awesome subject. I learnt a lot about her from my God-Father one time when he came back from England. However, I don't even know what I'm studying in history next year."

"I think it was World War Two if I remember what Hyuuga said before the term break up, since he's taking senior History from now on."

"World War Two, ha," Naruto bit his lip, trying to think of something he could research. "What's a good topic to study then?"

"I don't know, Hitler maybe?"

"Nah, Hitler is always researched," Naruto muttered before shrugging. "I guess I'll have to visit the museum or something."

"Museum…" it was the tone of voice his sensei used that made Naruto interested. His sensei stopped walking and turned towards the direction the museum would be. "It's about a twenty minute train ride from here, isn't it?"

"About that," Naruto said as he stopped walking. "Why, planning on going sometime soon?"

"It's not that," his sensei replied. "I haven't been since I started my job as a teacher. It makes me wonder if Hyuuga-senpai has been there at all since then as well…since the last time he went was with me during our university years."

"That's right, you both went to university together," Naruto commented, turning around. "I always thought Hyuuga-sensei would be the one to visit on a regular basis."

"You don't know him well enough," Uchiha-sensei chuckled as begun to move on again. "Hyuuga-senpai _hated_ visiting the museum with me, but did anyways since he never had anything better to do."

"Really?" Naruto asked, falling into step with his sensei. "That amazes me since surely now that he's a history teacher of all things, he'd be taking regular visits."

"He might be, but as far as I know, I don't think he has."

Naruto bit his lip, keeping back his next question. As much as he was curious to know more about both senseis, he knew if he pried any more than he already had, he might be found out.

"Did you know the Hyuuga family actually owns both the museum and the libraries in this area?"

Ok, so much for not being found out. Naruto did his best to keep his shock down, but he couldn't keep the stutter out of his voice when he spoke, "r-really, w-who would have thought?" Well, he hadn't thought of it before he did some thorough research into Uchiha-sensei's background. Did that mean Hyuuga-sensei knew that he was prying into Uchiha-sensei's background or had he not been informed of it?

"Ah, speak of the devil."

It was like death was trying to meet him on firm ground. Approaching, with his sister right beside him, was Hyuuga-sensei. He looked rather calm actually, not like death, but Naruto knew looks could deceive. "Hyuuga-sensei, Hyuuga-chan," Naruto greeted when they stopped in front of them.

"Naruto-kun," Hyuuga-chan beamed him that smile that always stole his heart. "Sasuke-kun, what brings you both out here?"

Hyuuga-sensei looked at Naruto, his eyes narrowing in the manner that said _"I know what you're up too, sonny"_ but Naruto ignored it and focused on the Uchiha-sensei and Hyuuga-chan. "We're just coming back from coffee," Uchiha-sensei said with that kind smile he always had for Hyuuga-chan.

"Coffee, ha," Hyuuga-sensei murmured before turning to Hyuuga-chan. "That sounds like a plan."

She nodded before grabbing Uchiha-sensei's hand. "Whoa, Hinata-san" Sasuke choked as she dragged him towards the small coffee stand.

They're "slight" arguments eventually drifted off, and before Naruto knew it, he was standing alone with Hyuuga-sensei. _Shit!_ "Uzumaki," Hyuuga-sensei walked over to the bench and plopped down, crossing his knee over the other and wrapped his arms around him, giving Naruto a very convincing death glare. "Can I ask you _why_ you were doing research into Uchiha's past?"

Damn, why did he have to be found out? Naruto looked away, trying to find something to take his attention away from Hyuuga-sensei's face. It's was failing badly though. "B-Before you yell at me for doing so, I only did it because I couldn't shake it off the feeling that something was really wrong with sensei. I was…worried."

Hyuuga-sensei watched Naruto with care before he huffed out a sigh. "I still think you shouldn't pry any more than you have. The last thing Uchiha or I want is for you to get caught up in this situation when it's clear it's dangerous-" _dangerous?_ "for you to do so. So I'm going to tell you now," he leaned forward, his eyes dark. "Stay out of it."

Naruto wasn't sure whether he was being considerate of him or of his own personal feelings, but whatever it was, he wasn't going to argue…actually, take that back, he was. "How can I when sensei needs people to depend on!" Naruto snapped back, amazed that he was actually going to argue with one of his sensei's _outside_ of school. "Sensei _trusts_ me, so how can I keep out of it? It's already too late, isn't it, for me to stay out!"

Hyuuga-sensei expression startled Naruto as the darken features brightened with shock. "Trust you?" he looked away, in thought. "Impossible, he hardly knows you."

"That's what _I_ said," Naruto muttered, "but he's convinced that sooner or later that he's going to know me better. He's convinced he can trust me—and I am a trustworthy person!—so how can I back away now? Isn't that…cruel considering the condition he's in?"

"And what condition is that?"

Naruto bit his lip for a long moment, not sure how to put it. So, he said bluntly "Post-traumatic Stress Disorder."

Hyuuga-sensei closed his eyes and let the words sink in before he leaned back into the bench. "Yes, that sounds about right" he mumbled before his eyes snapped open and he sat up. "Did you guess it or did he tell you?"

"I guessed it," Naruto admitted truthfully. "I mean, listening to what Uchiha-sensei says, watching him carefully over the last few months, I've begun to pick up signs of it. I mean, I thought about it a lot over the two weeks I didn't see sensei, and came to the conclusion myself. I mean," Naruto began to pace the area around the bench. "I did some research on the net and found out about it myself. I looked into what could be wrong with sensei and came across that disorder. It makes perfect sense, if you think about it. The fact he was violently assaulted, _kidnapped_ at such a young age and then there is all the things his father did to him in the past. It just makes perfect sense. I mean, even I would be a all over the place after all the shit sensei has been put through."

Hyuuga-sensei nodded, looking towards the small stand where Hyuuga-chan and Uchiha-sensei still were. "Uchiha still relives a lot of his past events in dreams and back in the past, he would randomly tense up and go silent and would remain silent the rest of the day. For a long time, he saw no hope in himself, and fought against believing something good could come out of life. He became completely withdrawn, no one could break that wall he surrounded himself in, and whenever someone tried to break through, he scared them off or emotionally broke down." Hyuuga-sensei looked distant for a moment. "Uchiha was scared of life, you could say. At one stage, he became so depressed he would actually think of suicide. I guess if his brother wasn't there…who knew what would have happened to Uchiha. I mean," he glanced at Uchiha-sensei "he might have actually succeed in killing himself back then. The thought of that…it hurts a lot to think of someone like Uchiha doing something like that."

Naruto turned towards Uchiha-sensei and Hyuuga-chan who were walking back. "Hyuuga-sensei, what is Uchiha-sensei to you?"

Hyuuga-sensei's smile was very fond. "Someone who's beyond a best friend, someone special and important…someone I want to protect at all costs."


	10. Chapter 09

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter Nine**

"I think…" Hyuuga Neji began, glancing over at Sasuke who looked up from his coffee to give him his full attention. "I think you should come over for dinner for once. After all…" Neji eyes focused on his sister and Uzumaki-kun who laughed ahead of them. They were walking several steps behind them, and were far enough that the pair ahead couldn't hear their low voices. "I think you should bring Uzumaki-kun with you."

Sasuke snorted, sipping from his coffee cup. The stands coffee wasn't as good as the coffee from the café, but it would do. "Why should we come?"

Neji gave Sasuke his most insulting look that tended to make Sasuke shiver. It was that devious, mischievous look Neji always gave Sasuke when he _wanted_ something that would push Sasuke beyond the boundaries. "Be~cause," Neji said in a lyric voice, "you _know_ how much I hate it when you upset Hinata, so I recommend you _accept_ her request otherwise," he cracked his knuckles, and that was all he had to do to understand the threat.

Damn Neji, he'd planned this some how. "Fine, whatever," Sasuke replied in surrender. There was no way he was going to get out of this.

* * *

For some reason, Sasuke's heart went a flutter when they headed to the patio of Neji's and Hinata's place, watching Uzumaki-kun smile and laugh with Hinata-san as Neji pulled out his rather large telescope. Sasuke missed the old days they used to stargaze with that old telescope, and was rather surprised Neji still even had it after all these years. Sasuke also admitted that Neji had picked the right night to stargaze, since the sky was so clear.

An arm wrapped itself around Sasuke's waist, startling him enough to focus on Hatake-senpai who smiled causally down at him. "You look lost there, kiddo," Hatake-senpai commented, squeezing Sasuke a little before dropping his arm. "Iruka even said that after dinner."

"I have a lot of things on my mind, Hatake-senpai," Sasuke muttered as Umino-senpai joined them, smiling behind his cup. "What brings you two here anyways? I feel like you're all trying to prevent me from going home."

"We heard from your beloved brother about what happened, and we've all been worried. Even Haruno-san was worried, but since work is keeping her back, she couldn't come by."

"It seems everyone is busy these days," Sasuke whispered to himself, knowing the two adults held him loud and clear.

"That isn't true, Sasuke-kun," Umino-senpai replied, resting his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke had never admitted that Umino-senpai was the ideal father in his opinion. It was just something that screamed "fatherly" whenever Sasuke saw Umino-senpai, though Umino-senpai was only four years older than him. "I think it's just that you're only seeing that is because you are trying your best to shut us out once again."

Why was Hatake-senpai and Umino-senpai so father-like to Sasuke? There was something about them that made Sasuke feel a little safer than he did around other people—besides Neji and his brother of course. "I have not," Sasuke muttered, hearing the two adults laugh lightly.

"Oh yes you have," Hatake-senpai chuckled, moving ahead. "Now, I must see what the other kiddo's are up to before they break something," Hatake-senpai winked at Sasuke and Umino-senpai before moving towards Neji and Uzumaki-kun.

"I'm curious," Sasuke began when Umino-senpai and he were alone. "What makes you so interest in Hatake-senpai anyways?"

Umino-senpai smiled weakly before running a hand through his hair. "It's hard to explain, really. It's something better experienced than explained," he admitted, his eyes trailing after Hatake-senpai. "It was weird, that day when he admitted his feelings for me. I didn't know how to think or what to think about. Then again, there probably shouldn't have been a moment to think, just to respond. It was whether I could accept Kakashi as my lover or not. It was just impulse when I answered, and when I did, I wasn't even sure I cared that way. You may think of Kakashi as a pervert "old" man, but deep down, he's sweet and cares greatly for you and your brother. That part about him is _never_ going to change."

That was true, because the way the man managed before his romantic life, social life and work life was a complete miracle.

"Besides, the sex was great."

He could have done without that. "Umino-senpai…" Sasuke groaned as he face palmed. Umino-senpai began to laugh when he saw that action. "Seriously, senpai, I could have done without knowing about your sex life."

"What's wrong with our sex life?" Hatake-senpai commented as he stepped back up to them. "Is it me, or is it chilly out here?"

"It is rather cold, actually," Umino-senpai replied, pulling his jacket tighter. Obviously, he hadn't seen or noticed what was underneath the comment.

"Well I don't know about the rest of you, but if _you're_ cold Iruka, then I can think up _many ways_ to keep you warm."

Sasuke choked, not believing he was hearing this. Actually he could, the main reason he choked was the expressions and actions the group did once they heard the comment. Hinata-san's horrified (ok, she's a yaoi fangirl, yes, but gosh, she doesn't want to see it in _reality_) face, the way Neji shook his head and the way Uzumaki-kun looked rather confused all wanted to make Sasuke laugh, but he decided that wasn't the best thing to do. Instead, he put all his focus on Uzumaki-kun. _You've lived a sheltered life, haven't you Uzumaki-kun?_ "I don't get it," Uzumaki-kun finally said, looking between everyone warily.

"Don't ask," Neji and Sasuke said in unison, not wanting to have to go through the "joke" inside that comment. That was the last thing either of them were willing to explain. "Seriously," Sasuke began glaring at Hatake-senpai who smirked at him. "Must you have a sick mind all the time? Or do you just do it on purpose to piss me off."

"I think both of them are the suitable answer," Hatake-senpai replied, grinning at Umino-senpai who rolled his eyes. "At least you don't live with this side of me like Iruka does."

"I wonder ho he's stayed sane this whole time," Sasuke muttered, turning to move back into the house. "Hyuuga-senpai, I need to talk to you."

"Yeah, yeah," Neji muttered, moving away from the telescope. "I think I got it in the right angle. If you look through it, Uzumaki-kun, you could probably see Mars."

"Really?" Uzumaki-kun replied in a excited tone. "Awesome!"

* * *

"Now what the hell are you doing?" Sasuke snapped as they sat down in the living room, just out of site of the patio that was connected to the kitchen and family room. "I don't understand why you've called everyone over, and I'm completely surprised my brother isn't here either."

"I can explain," Neji said, sitting down across from Sasuke. "We all know what happened…that day, and because your beloved bastard of a father was spotted _again_, we thought it was best to keep you away from home. Bring Uzumaki-kun was on a whim as well."

"A whim, what do you mean, a whim?" Sasuke demanded annoyed how once again everything was kept a secret.

"Gaara tends to mutter a lot of shit in his sleep, especially when he's exhausted. The last few days he's been kept on hills because of his little brother being in trouble, though he hasn't see his little brother since he was at the Orphanage; he has been talking about how he's in danger. It's just small mutters, sometimes I can't catch everything he's saying, but it sounds like your family has something to do with it." Neji crossed his arm, his eyes narrowing. "I did some research into his "little brother" background and where he's ended up."

"Alright, and what does this have to do with Uzumaki-kun?" Sasuke demanded.

"What did Gaara call his little brother, Sasuke?"

"I don't know, it was a long time ago when he mentioned the name."

"His name is Naruto," Neji stated, getting a questioning look from Sasuke. "Uzumaki Naruto."

Sasuke stopped breathing for a moment, trying to take it in carefully. Uzumaki-kun…was Gaara's little brother. It was plausible, since Uzumaki-kun was a orphan after all. "Ok, so you're saying our Uzumaki Naruto is _his_ little brother."

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Neji agreed with him. "Sasuke, do you remember who Gaara had stated as the killer of his brother's parents?"

"My father…" Sasuke whispered, remembering the conversation well now. "My father was behind their death."

"Uzumaki-kun's actually surname is Namikaze, did you know?"

"What, impossible," Sasuke stood up, beginning to pace behind the couch. "Impossible, how could he be a Namikaze? Since when did the Uzumaki family have any relationship with the Namikaze family?"

Neji stood up and walked over to his bag, pulling out a large file and waving it about as he sat back down. "I thought that too, so I did a thorough research into Naruto's background. His father, Namikaze Minato, did indeed marry an Uzumaki member, and her name was Kushina, Uzumaki Kushina."

"T-The Hot-Blooded Habanero?" Sasuke choked, knowing the name well. "Dear god, he married the Hot-Blooded Habanero? She was a freaking Yankee!"

"That, too, made me surprised, but it seemed they were both childhood sweet-hearts," Neji said opening the file. "It makes sense though, since Naruto is very like his mother in the personality sense, and very like his father in looks. Unfortunately, the Uzumaki family _never_ got along with the Uchiha family, and the Uchiha family—no offense—were to stuck up to even consider being allies with them. What makes this tale so tragic is that the Namikaze family was up there with the Uchiha family, in fact, Naruto's father got on very well with your father. I also found something interesting out about your mother while I was looking into this."

"What about my mother?"

"Did you know she was best friends with Uzumaki Kushina, Sasuke?" Neji asked a small smile on his lips. "Your mother was the only one I know that got along with the Uzumaki family besides the fact that more than fifty percent of them were either Yankees or Yakuza's. It makes you wonder what kind of person your mother _really_ was, now doesn't it Sasuke?"

Actually, it did. "So how did Naruto survive this whole attack?"

Neji's eyes darkened, startling Sasuke. "He _barely_ survived, Sasuke. Naruto most likely witnessed something so horrifying that it took him a long time to heal. Gaara said to me that when Naruto first arrived, he was impossible to communicate with. You could say, there was nothing left inside him. However, after some time, Naruto began to "work" again, or that's what Gaara said. Soon enough, Naruto actually forgot what happened, and grew up to what we see today. Behind Naruto's feisty personality that we've clashed with so many times over the years is the side you've been seeing the most. A very gentle, kind personality that is fiercely protective. Did I tell you Naruto nearly _bit_ my head off when I told him to stay away from you, and not get caught up in what was going on? He became _very_ defensive of you, which completely and utterly worried me."

Sasuke leaned back in his seat—having sat down while Neji had spoken—and closed his eyes. It made him feel so much more better knowing Naruto had actually jumped to protect him, but he too was worried about Naruto getting caught up in this. However, he couldn't shake it all off any more. He needed to know more. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because you are Uchiha Sasuke, and _you_ have fallen in love with Uzumaki Naruto."

Sasuke only stared at Neji. _F-Fallen in love? _Maybe it was possible that he had fallen in love with Naruto, but even he wasn't sure if it was right. "Come again?"

"You, Uchiha Sasuke, are in love with Uzumaki Naruto," Neji stated clearly. "Don't say you're not, because I know you better than anyone. You might not believe its love just yet, but I can tell your very attached the blonde."

"I don't believe it," Sasuke said, a slight, weak laugh in his voice. "Love? Are you feeling alright Hyuuga-senpai?"

"Sasuke, just think about it," Neji stood up, handing the file to Sasuke. "Have a read through it. It'll become something of interest."


	11. Chapter 10

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter Ten**

"_Sensei~"_ Naruto chimed as he burst through his sensei's front door, only to be stopped when his eyes landed on a very dressed up looking Uchiha-sensei. "Eh?"

His sensei flushed a million different reds at once but managed to stay in control. "You're early…I was just about to call you to say something came up," which was true since he was about to dial something into his mobile—which was obviously in his hands—but quickly shoved it away.

"What's come up?" Naruto asked, curious to know what could make his sensei dress up as if he was going somewhere like a ball or something…wait, did they even have balls here?

"A friend of Hyuuga's invited me to dinner, and since he's up there in the clouds, I couldn't decline," his sensei turned away, trying to do his tie up. "You'd think me being a teacher I'd be used to…doing…this…" he suddenly pulled the tie away and throw it at the window. "ARGH! I HATE DRESSING UP!"

Naruto giggled lightly, getting a horrible glare from his sensei that stormed over and picked it up from the floor—it didn't get very far actually—before he tried again. "So what is this thing?" Naruto asked, closing the door and walking in, plopping down on the side of his sensei's couch. "Is it like a dinner thing or something?"

"Sadly, yes, not that I actually trust the food there," his sensei commented, giving a sigh of relief when he finally got the tie done up. "Hyuuga knows the people of this place…actually, he's dating one of the higher ups," Naruto's mouth dropped open.

"Whoa, that's like…lucky."

Uchiha-sensei snorted out a laugh, clearly amused by that. "I wouldn't call it lucky, since his lovers a hothead…and that we went to university together. To think, they never got along but ended up together anyways."

"So it's just you going?"

His sensei shrugged. "I'm allowed to invite a guest, but Haruno-san has been rather busy lately with another author, so she had to decline. Hyuuga-senpai and his sister are already going, and like hell I would invite Hatake-senpai since right now…" he drifted off, frowning. "You don't need to know that detail, and besides, I don't have anyone else to invite."

"You could have invited your brother?" Naruto replied, remembering that his sensei had mentioned his brother once before.

"He's already going to be there, actually," Uchiha-sensei replied, groaning. "Like I want him to be there, and not to mention there are going to be blasted news reporters and what not. The last thing I want is to be caught by one of them." His sensei sat down on the couch across from Naruto, huffing out a sigh. "I really don't want to go alone."

"Surely there's someone you can take?"

"There _is_ you."

Naruto didn't reply, just staring at his sensei who was dead serious. "Um…I'm not good with crowds," Naruto said quickly.

"Do you think _I_ am?"

"Of course, you're an author who signs books at book signing events, does public speeches and-"

"Running away from rabid fan girls," his sensei muttered under his breath, stopping Naruto in mid-speech, giving him a startled look when the words sunk in. "It happens," his sensei said with a long groan.

"That…I can't imagine," Naruto said slowly, unable to picture it at all, "it happened, like, once right?"

"Twice I think," his sensei was thoughtful. "Whatever, that was during my earlier stages of writing." His sensei glanced at him then the clock on the wall and sighed. "I suppose I better be off…otherwise Subaku will kill me…"

Something ticked in Naruto's mind upon the name being spoken, but he could figure out what was so familiar about it. "So…it's a dinner…right?"

"A formal dinner," Uchiha-sensei corrected, but nodded what-so-ever.

"That means its dress up…but free dinner…?"

"I thought you didn't want to go," Uchiha-sensei looked _very_ amused.

Naruto blushed, looking away. "W-Well…I wasn't…I didn't mean…I…"

"Naruto, would you like to come with me?"

"Sensei, that sounds like you're asking me out on a date," Naruto replied, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Well, maybe I am."

* * *

Even if he hadn't gotten dressed, he would still have felt rather meek when he stepped through—or rather _shoved_ through by his sensei—the double doors and into the rather lavish building. This was clearly no place was a "poor" high school student. He glanced slightly at his sensei who looked how he felt, sluggish.

Naruto returned his focus on the room. It was rather elegant and very westernized—nothing like his small studio he lived in—yet reminded him of a far extravagant version of what Uchiha-sensei house was.

"Come on," his sensei spoke very quietly, leading Naruto further into the main hall. "I can understand how the culture change is affecting you, but the family who owns this place loves the western culture. Probably a little too much," his sensei pointed out.

"Have you been here before?" it sounded stupid when he said it.

"A few times with Hyuuga-senpai and his sister, normally if they're going to see a particular person or it's a business meeting it's the preferred place for them. What makes matters worse is when their father is with them. He's got rather…strong-tasting sense for things like this place. In fact, he's had his owns on this place for as long as I can remember."

"But surely the family refuses to hand it over, right?"

"Well, naturally, and it makes things worse when the two families are closely tied…whether they like—_or don't like_—how it is."

There was something about the way sensei spoke that made Naruto curious, but before they spoke, Hyuuga-sensei walked through to door, Hyuuga-chan at his side. "Uchiha," Hyuuga-sensei greeted with a rather rare smile, "and Uzumaki-kun."

Hyuuga-chan was at Naruto side immediately, "let them talk, I'll show you around," she offered before dragging him away before he could protest. She didn't drag him too far, just enough to put distance. "Neji-nii-san has been complaining the whole car trip here about coming to this dinner," Hyuuga-chan said before frowning, pulling at his tie. Naruto blush instantly. "It's ok, you can relax a little Naruto-kun. No ones going to judge you if your in the company of two very powerful people."

Hyuuga-sensei and Uchiha-sensei. "Hyuuga-chan, I-"

"Hinata," she corrected, pulling a face. "My _friends_ call me Hinata, Naruto-kun. It defiantly sounds better that Hyuuga-chan all the time."

His blush went a little darker. "H-Hinata-chan, I don't know if I could relax…this environment…"

She nodded with sympathy. "Most people can't, not even Sasuke-kun and Neji-nii-san can relax in this place, but they put on their best and keep strong."

"So…Hyuuga-sensei has been complaining about this place?"

Hinata-chan nodded again, glancing over at her brother. "It's not that he hates this place, he just didn't want to get dressed up just to get…um…" she stopped with a blush, looking Naruto straight in the eye. "Do you know who nii-san's lover is?" Naruto quickly shook his head. "He'll never forgive me if I told you, but his lover is-"

"Uchiha, Hyuuga!" the new voices cut her off and they both turned to see a rather grumpy looking red haired man stomp over. "Are you two always going to stand in the way?"

"We better go," Hinata-chan said, linking arms with Naruto—who was still pretty much blushing—and walked over to them. "Subaku-san, Konbanwa." There was a that name again.

"Konbanwa," the red haired replied, smiling a little.

"Ugh, so you smile for my sister but I get beaten around in the bush," Hyuuga-sensei growled, crossing his arms. "I don't get a 'hello' or anything."

"You do," the red snapped, looking annoyed again. "I always ask how you're going every time I see you, it'd be rude of me otherwise."

"You didn't then!"

"Aww, does that make you jealous," the man—Subaku-san—said with a rather evil smile.

"Am not!" Hyuuga-sensei growled back, sulking silently.

Hinata-san laughed weakly before she smiled at Subaku-san. "Subaku-san, I'd like to introduce you to a student of Uchiha-kun and nii-san's," she gently pushed Naruto a step forward. "This is Uzumaki Naruto-kun."

Before Naruto had a chance to greet him, he saw the worried glance between Uchiha-sensei and Hyuuga-sensei before he realised that the man Subaku was staring at him with large, befuddled eyes.

…Had they met before?

"…Otouto…san…" (1)

No…it couldn't be… "Gaara-onii-chan…?"

No, no way in hell! "My, you've grown a lot," a sad, small smile pressed against the others lips. Subaku Gaara, he should have remembered the name, but how long has it been since they last saw each other? Gaara stepped forward, pressing a hand against his face. "How have you been, Naruto?"

He fought back tears and smiled weakly. "I've been well." Gaara's hands had not changed, still warm, and still soft. "Y-You never came back to visit me," Naruto said, his voice only hinting at the pain.

"I know, I'm sorry," Gaara closed his eyes for a moment before he reopened them. "When I did, they already said someone who knew your family found you and took you home. I wasn't able to get the address out of the Orphanage." Naruto nodded, understanding. "I've always thought about you though, Otouto-san."

"That's an understatement," Hyuuga-sensei finally huffed out, making Naruto turn towards him, confused. "He never shut up about you."

"Wait…you knew?"

Hyuuga-sensei nodded slowly, replying "I've known since you first stepped into our school, Uzumaki-kun. It's not hard to tell when Gaara described you almost perfectly. Even though you've matured up over the years, your very much like he described you…minus the loudmouth attitude."

"Huh?" It was Gaara-onii-chan's turn to be confused. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did, _a hundred_ times, but you were always too busy with your work to pay attention to me when I spoke."

"That's bullshit, I always listen to you," Gaara snapped, looking pissed. "You rarely ever talk to me _anyways_!"

"I do! You never listen _to_ me!"

"I said I do though!"

Naruto stared at them for a long, noticing from the corner of his eye the way Uchiha-sensei covered his forehead with his hand, shaking his head slightly with annoyance. Naruto wondered if Hyuuga-sensei and his onii-chan did this often. "Oh, repeat what I said last night."

Gaara was silent for a very long moment before he bowed his head. "I can't remember."

"And you said you listen to me!"

"I do! I swear I do, I just…don't register every thing said to me," Gaara admitted, shaking his hands a little. "I do listen, though, Neji. I listen to every single word you say all the time. Hell even during _that_ time."

There was something about that comment that made Naruto frown and Hinata-san lightly blush and cough into her hand. Uchiha-sensei turned away from them, looking for something else of interest. Hyuuga-sensei was bright red for a long moment before he turned on his hills a stalked away from the group. "Um…" Naruto looked at Gaara who groaned and turned to him, giving him a weak smile.

"I better sort this out, Otouto-san. We'll talk later," he brushed a hand over Naruto's check and ducked away, following Hyuuga-sensei.

"I wish they'd stop arguing," Uchiha-sensei finally said, closing the small circle. "You'd think after all these years they'd learn to settle down."

"Nii-san is just stubborn," Hinata-san replied, smiling at Naruto. "Those two have always argued, ever since the first day of University."

"And to think you brother got _me_ involved in this!" Uchiha-sensei groaned, crossing his arms. "University would have been so much more quieter if he never had that run in."

"It was bound to happen, Sasuke-kun. I mean, you both had him in your courses. It would have happened eventually."

"I guess," Uchiha-sensei replied softly before pointing to the balcony. "It's crowded in here, so lets go outside for air."

* * *

"Sensei?" Uchiha-sensei glanced at Naruto, his wine glass against his lips. Dinner had gone by without any troubles, though Naruto didn't engage much. He found some of the things talked about at the table interesting however, but the minute Uchiha-sensei said he wanted to go outside for air _again_, Naruto had followed after him, wanting to talk to him. "How long…did you know?"

"Since last night," Uchiha-sensei replied, leaning on the edge of the balcony. "Hyuuga told me about it. I was trying to work out how to get you two to meet actually. I came to wonder what it felt like for you, being alone. You still haven't heard from Jiraiya have you?" Naruto shook his head. "I thought not, so when you turned up this afternoon, it couldn't have come at a better time."

"Did…anyone else know beside Hyuuga-sensei and yourself?"

"No, not even Hinata knows about it…well, now she does, but before hand, she was just as clueless as you." Uchiha-sensei closed his eyes and stood up more. "I think senpai was jealous of you and your standing with Gaara to the point he wanted to keep you away."

"Why would he be jealous?" Naruto questioned, frowning.

"Naruto, your nii-san is in a relationship with Neji."

Silence lingered between them as if slowly sank in. when it did, he freaked. "NA-NA-NANI?"

"Mhm, don't worry, when Hinata found out she reacted in the same manner, but quickly accepted it." Uchiha-sensei smiled fondly, as if he was remembering it.

"Wait, so Hatake-sensei and Umino-sensei are together, Onii-chan and Hyuuga-sensei…sensei, are all your friends _homo_?"

"That's harsh," Uchiha-sensei ran a hand through his hair. "I prefer to use _bi_ in situations like this, which is what I am, Naruto." Well, Naruto had gathered that from the damned _kiss_! Upon thinking about it, Naruto blushed lightly, looking away as his sensei turned to look at him. "Naruto?"

"This is awkward," Naruto finally admitted, leaning more on the edge. "So…a lot of people you know are…_bi_? Is there anyone else I should know about?"

"No, just us," Uchiha-sensei replied, a frown across his friend. "Does this make you uncomfortable Naruto?"

"Wouldn't it?" Naruto replied, not looking at his sensei. "I-I guess it does…explain…a few things…"

There was a silent moment before Uchiha-sensei began to laugh, startling Naruto enough to look at him. "I guess it does," he sipped his wine before he twirled the glass in his fingers. "I guess it does," his sensei closed his eyes, and sighed. "Is it really a bother to know, Uzumaki-kun? Isn't love just that? Does it have to be a certain way, or can it explore different measures? Does it have to be a certain shape, a certain size?" he glanced at Naruto for a spilt second before he pushed off the edge, moving away, as if he was pacing the area of the balcony. "If you were to look you in the dictionary what love meant, what would it say?"

"I don't know," Naruto whispered. It wasn't that he didn't know the meaning of it, it was just he didn't know what to say. His sensei glanced at him again before pulling a small book from his pocket. "You carry a dictionary around with you sensei?" Naruto asked when he realised what it was.

His sensei ignored his and opened it, skimming the pages. "Everyone knows what love means, but one can take love in many ways. One is known as a tender or passionate feeling towards another person or object. Affection, a warm personal attachment, or even a sexual passion and desire," Naruto blushed when his sensei smiled at him. "Love is in many forms Naruto, can be used in different ways. It's not centred around one thing, but many. Wouldn't you agree with me?"

"I guess," Naruto replied, shifting from one foot to another. This was _really_ awkward now. "But still…it's not normal and before you _dare_ look up the meaning of normal-"

"What is normal?" Uchiha-sensei asked a smirk on his mouth. He was winning this battle of words, and they both knew it. "In Psychology, it's known as being free from a mental illness, or being 'sane'. In Medicine, it free from an infection, from a disease and being healthy. In Maths it associates with multi things likes being at the right angel. In Chemistry it-"

"I get it, sensei," Naruto waved him away, turning but out to the courtyards. "I get it, it can be anything."

"But what does it mean?"

"I don't know I guess it's something that's just typical, something that's common, not rare."

"And are you saying homosexuality is rare?"

Ouch that was going to hurt him in the morning. "No, I'm not saying-"

"But how you defined it was rare."

"Oi, you!" Naruto snapped, storming over to his sensei, poking him viciously in his chest. "Shut up, I didn't mean it that way, so shut the hell u-" his sentence didn't quite end since his sensei snatched his wrist and pulled Naruto right up against him, the only thing separating their bodies where their clothes, which really wasn't much. "O-Oi, sen-sensei, l-let go!"

"And why should I do that," Uchiha-sensei replied, smiling down at him.

"Someone could see us!" Naruto freaked, his body slightly trembling against his sensei's, jolting a little when his sensei slid his hand down Naruto arm, holding him from under the shoulder in a tight grip, before he wrapped his leg around Naruto's, trapping him right against him.

"I doubt that," Uchiha-sensei replied softly, using his free hand to brush a strand of hair from Naruto's face, making him flinch lightly.

"Sensei…are you drunk?"

"Please, Naruto, you would know if I was drunk."

Actually, that reminded Naruto…where did that glass of wine go? He had to let the thought go, since he couldn't afford to space out while he was so tightly pressed against his sensei. Naruto looked away, feeling extremely awkward, only to feel lips brush his neck. Clenching his eyes shut, Naruto tried to think of something else but what his sensei was doing. How the hell did their conversation jump so quickly? "S-Sensei…" Naruto shuddered when his sensei ran his tongue against his neck. His body shuddered against, brushing harder against his sensei. He had to stop this before who knows what happened.

It wasn't that Naruto felt disgusted in this—as much as homosexuality freaked him out and what not—but it didn't mean he wanted it to continue on as it already was. The other hand brushed against lower part of Naruto's back, making him flinch as the sensitive skin tried to flee from the coolness of the hand that teased it. The hand pressed itself onto Naruto's hot back, pushing the lower part of their bodies even closer.

Gasping when his sensei bit down onto his neck—granted it wasn't hard but it startled the hell out of him. Naruto tried to shove the other body away, which didn't seem to move. "O-Oi sensei, s-stop this. S-Someone could-" Naruto didn't have the chance to finish when his sensei's lips pulled away from his neck and pressed themselves hard against his own. His sensei took the chance to shove his tongue into Naruto mouth, smirking against his lips when Naruto made a small noise with the action.

The overwhelming sense of winter engulfed Naruto before he had time to retaliate, finding himself trapped in the kiss. The arm that tucked under his shoulder wrapped itself around his shoulders, holding him gently, yet possessively at the same moment. Whatever concerns Naruto had moments ago flew out the window.

However, as quickly as the kiss started, it ended. Naruto weakly opened his eyes—he hadn't been sure he even close—and stared up into the black ones that seemed to smile down at him. His sensei hovered above him for a moment before he moved his head lower, running his tongue across Naruto throat, making him gasp, shuddering again.

Naruto got the growing feeling that if someone did happen to stumble across them; his sensei was still not going to let him go without a fight. The hand that was pressed against his back move away, moving toward the front of him where it ran up his shirt until they came to rest against his chest, where it caressed the skin.

"S-Sensei?" Naruto whispered—or whimpered he wasn't sure—gulping in the cool night's air. "L-Lets stop?" the mouth against his neck made a noise—one of disapproving—but nevertheless, his sensei stepped back, giving Naruto some distance, and a chance to think calmly. It took him a very long moment to composure himself.

Before any more words could be shared between each other, a voice called Naruto's name. Naruto had turned for a second to see who it was and when he turned back, his sensei was no where in sight.

* * *

"There you are," Naruto spun on his heels to see his brother walk out onto the balcony, in his hand a small cup that had some sort of brown liquid in it. "I've been looking for you," he had that gentle smile on his lips. "You just got up and vanished with Uchiha."

Was it Naruto, or did Gaara almost growl that name out? It was clear there was little to no care for one another. That made Naruto shift a little awkwardly on his feet. "Onii-chan, do you really hate sensei that much?" Naruto asked, not aware he'd said it loud enough for him to hear, which was clear that he was wrong.

"No, why do you ask?" Gaara replied, standing in front with him with what looked like an annoyed look, though his voice hid it well.

"It's just, the way you said it made you sound like it was disgusting," Naruto replied, biting down on his bottom lip once he said it. Gaara gave it a long thought—too long for Naruto's liking—before he shrugged it off.

"There's always been a bad connection between me and Uchiha, but nothing you should worry about."

"But I do," Naruto muttered as Gaara walked over to the balcony edge, leaning against it. "Sensei's…you do know how fragile sensei is right?"

Gaara nodded, sipping what Naruto assumed was brandy. "I know quite well how fragile he is. I mean, I've known him since high school, not that I ever talked to him back then."

"Then why do you treat him as rubbish?"

Gaara's eyes darkened, startling Naruto a little. "Why would I treat him any less that what he is?"

Was this even his brother he was talking to? It felt as if he was talking to somewhere wearing his face. Naruto looked away, feeling a little hurt. "I like sensei a lot, onii-chan. He's very kind, though he tries to hide the fact by acting all up him, but he can't hide it."

"I don't know how you can like someone like him…" Gaara replied, his voice trailing off before he shook his head. "Let's not talk about him. I don't like making things feel awkward."

Naruto glanced at him before looking away. _You're the one who made things awkward by the way you treat him…it's like you treat him as something that's not even human, something lowly._ Naruto closed his eyes, _are you even my real brother?_

"Otouto-san?" Gaara was in front of Naruto in moments, a worried expression plastered on his face. "Are you alright?"

"No," Naruto snapped, feeling bad about it afterwards. "I'm sorry, it's just…I don't know what's happened between you and sensei, but I don't like how you're treating him as trash," Naruto said, stating firmly his feelings and standing his ground. "Granted, I never liked sensei until I got to know him. I know now that he's a very nice and warm hearted man who genuinely cares about the people around him."

Gaara sighed, running a hand through his hair, looking once again awkward. "It's not that I think lowly of him, Naruto. I actually like Uchiha a lot. After all, he's very close to Neji, and he wouldn't like it if I treated his friends like shit anyways. Neji very defensive of Uchiha, has always been defensive…I mean, they both had strong feelings for each other in the past, and I don't expect any change, even though Neji's personality seems to jump a lot, he still expect Uchiha to be respected because he cares for him." Gaara took a deep breath and smiled lightly. "I will admit Uchiha is a great man, and he protects Neji when I'm not about. He's also looked after you somewhat over the years, and that makes me feel grateful. It's just…" his frowned, "I hate being indebted to him all the time."

"What do you mean by 'all the time'?" Naruto asked, feeling confused over the statement. "What happened in the past?"

"Uchiha…he protects Neji," Gaara said in a very slow voice. "He's protected him way too many times, and not just him, but me as well." He searched Naruto's face for a moment before sighing. "Do you know what kind of man Uchiha's father is?" Naruto nodded, familiar with how Uchiha acts towards him. "Well, Neji one day turned around and challenged him. I can't remember when it was, but it was shortly after midyear exams during our last year of university. Uchiha had ended up in hospital and Neji cracked, unable to take the pressure, the pain of seeing Uchiha in the state he was. Neji had stormed up to him and flipped out. I've never seen Neji that angry before…but he was an idiot and got hurt…" Naruto bit his lip, seeing the pain shoot over Gaara's face as he remembered. "I wasn't able to jump in, but Uchiha, who was still recovering, moved in and took the blast. His father was still rather angry, but Uchiha pleaded with him to over look this, which luckily he did. It was after this that Uchiha tried putting distance between them, but I couldn't allow that, I couldn't see Neji hurt anymore than he did…Uchiha was being selfish, and it was killing Neji deep inside.

"So I stepped in during that time, and demanded him to stop acting like a child. I noticed here and then how fragile Uchiha was and it made me sick. Utterly sick that he allowed himself to be defeated so damn easily by a man he could clearly take on. However, Uchiha thought different, just before I could say anything, he told me to back out of his problems. He said some pretty horrific things, mentioned names of people who was _killed_ because of him, and he didn't want Neji to be apart of his list. He warned me away before fleeing. He let no one in during that time, barely turned up for university…he always has a way of making people feel guilty." Gaara moved away, wrapping one arm around him self. "I found out from Neji why he was so worried about this. Uchiha was prone to try and commit suicide. He was emotionally unstable, and I could understand why. Neji and I talked about it for hours, and I knew then and there that he made his decisions based on past events.

"It was about two months after that event Uchiha returned to university. He acted as if nothing happened, but the moment Neji or I appeared…he changed, shut the world off. He was so badly bruised…sometimes it made me feel depressed seeing him so shattered. It was clear it was killing him too. I got fed up of his sick way of treating Neji a second time around, but when I went to approach him…" Gaara was pale all of a sudden. "I found him with Neji…in a way I wish I never did."

"What do you mean?" Naruto pushed, gripping Gaara's shirt lightly.

"I said it, didn't I? Uchiha was suicidal…" the look made Naruto's stomach drop. "Neji stayed with him the whole time he was in hospital. He wouldn't budge at all, worried that if he turned an eye from him, Uchiha was going to slip out of his hands for good. If Neji never found him…Uchiha wouldn't be alive now. Uchiha was in a coma for about three months. He didn't pass his final exams because of it…nor did Neji. Shortly before Uchiha woke, his father returned from a business trip in America and heard of this. He stormed into the hospital, down towards the room where Neji was with Sasuke." Gaara suddenly stopped talking, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths. "His father's completely nuts, Naruto. Utterly mad. He turned around and blamed this all on Neji. He attacked Neji at his most vulnerable time. If I hadn't been there…I don't know what could have happened. Uchiha's father was dragged out moments later, still blaming Neji for everything.

"Neji refused to see Uchiha after he woke, hid himself in our apartment, slowly breaking. Every word he said was violent, and Neji was slowly losing control, slowly shattering inside. I couldn't handle it so I approached Uchiha once he woke, begging him to help Neji," he faced was filled with disgust for a moment. "I can't believe I begged him to, but Neji…at this time…I was already in love with him. Uchiha knew that, understood and disappeared. I steered clear from the apartment for a few days, not sure whether Uchiha was there or not, but I knew that he would do his best. When I finally returned home, I met Uchiha's older brother. Uchiha had been too afraid to enter the apartment building, so his brother stepped in to sort it out. I never knew how scary his brother could be, but hell, he was like a mad Sasuke all over again, except older and somewhat more violent. He promised me his father wouldn't get away with it.

"No one can stand up against Uchiha's father…expect his older brother and mother. Uchiha's brother had dragged me with him when he went to see his father. I realised then that Uchiha's father was somewhat _scared_ of his own son. I wouldn't blame him, if I was on the other end of that talk. I didn't get involved, I just listened outside. Uchiha soon turned out and saw me, but I wouldn't let him leave. I dragged him back to my place, demanding him to fix this, but he didn't speak a word towards me. He just nodded and went inside and went into the room where Neji had been hiding. I stayed with them, wanting to make sure Uchiha did something about this.

"It took time, but Neji gradually got better, healed slowly. They both did, together, but once again I was indebted to that ass. Uchiha denied it and simply pointed out that I could have done something myself if I was a little more confident with myself, that I could have helped Neji heal if I stayed with him, and not abandon him. I think…I somewhat think he was right, and because of that," he glanced towards the building, "I try to keep an eye on him when I can. Neji is still on shaky ground, but he will always be. Uchiha's father is nuts, but he's clever at how he plans his acts. He always seems to know when the perfect timing is to spring his trap." Gaara looked at Naruto, resting his hands on his shoulders a moment later. "If you cross paths with his father, don't let him win the verbal attacks."

Naruto nodded, his mind somewhat overflowing. His sensei…bother Uchiha-sensei and Hyuuga-sensei suffered a lot…and somehow, Naruto knew what he never saw his brother again. There had been way to much pain during those years that he probably lost track of everything until it blown over…

…And Naruto didn't blame him one little bit.

* * *

**(1) Otouto-san means little brother. It should really be otouto-bun which is used for a friend who's like a little brother, but I didn't like that (even though there's barely any difference) so I kept it this way. Oh and Onii-chan is another form of older brother except cuter.  
**

**Note: Anyways, there's the four chapters promised =D I should update 11 soon, but it depends if I can get back on since my computer is being an annoying poo head xD. I hope you enjoyed what I've done =D  
**


	12. Chapter 11

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter Eleven**

There was two reasons to why this afternoon had amused him to the point he couldn't stop smirking behind his hand that he'd risen to cover several times this afternoon. If it wasn't for the recent chapter he was writing at the moment, it was defiantly the way Hyuuga Neji slouched on the couch opposite him that did. They'd been back to school for two weeks already and he was complaining that _he_ needed a holiday. Of course, Uchiha Sasuke knew the reason behind the Hyuuga's foul mood, and didn't blame him one bit.

He admitted silently to himself several times the past two weeks that he, too, was jealous of the way Subaku Gaara – Hyuuga's current lover – spent every afternoon with Uzumaki Naruto – who was in fact someone Sasuke was very interested in at the current moment – in which both never seemed to shut up about when they were finally away from each other. Sasuke could easily tell Hyuuga was at the end of his patients and instead of dragging the very exhausted Gaara out of his bed this morning for a decent yelling at, Hyuuga had slipped back to his place for the second weekend in a row to sulk silently on his couch.

"You're going to have to talk to him eventually," Sasuke commented, flinching when Hyuuga's eyes glared at him from under his arm. "I mean, Gaara wouldn't understand your foul mood unless you _tell_ him that you're annoyed that the free time you get is spent _completely_ on Uzumaki-kun."

"Like he ever listens to me," Hyuuga muttered under his breath before covering his face with his arm once again.

"He does, though. I think, out of every relationship you've ever had, Gaara has been the best in fact… despite the way he seems to abuse you more than love you," Sasuke joked only to hear a growl in response. "Nothing will get done if you just _sulk_ on my couch, Hyuuga. What happened to the noble Hyuuga Neji who was strong minded and _never_ sulked?"

"Uchiha, I will kill you if you don't shut your mouth."

Ouch, and he was trying to help his idiotic friend, and this was how he got treated. "No wonder your relationships in tatters," Sasuke muttered, looking back at his laptop, his sudden inspiration to write slipping away. He'd been on a good role that time, since he actually wrote two whole chapters in one day, but suddenly working on the third seemed like a task when he had something in a bad mood continuously glaring at him. Sasuke glanced over to meet the eyes that hid away moments later. Grumbling, he saved the document and closed his laptop, plopping it on the table before standing up and stretching loudly – just to shit Hyuuga off of course.

"You're a horrible friend Uchiha," Hyuuga muttered softly.

"Didn't I tell you that on the first day we met?" Sasuke countered before moving into the kitchen to make coffee. "Listen, Neji, you can't just hide out here and pretend that everything is alright in front of Gaara. You need to confront him and tell him you feel a little annoyed over the time spent on Naruto in which would normally be spent on you. You need to compromise with him before you ruin everything. The last thing I want to see is you completely depressed because you've lost someone you cared for the most!"

"But how do I tell him? Whatever I say will lead into an argument and then everything would be pointless anyways! I'd end up at square one _again_."

Sasuke watched his friend for a long moment before he finished making the coffee, taking a cup over to Hyuuga who sat up for the first time that morning and accepted it. "But I think letting your feelings out will help you two. I mean, you know Gaara better than most people, _better_ than his "siblings", so I don't think you'll mess things up. He won't understand your feelings if your not communicating with him. No one would if you don't speak up and say some-" Sasuke's voice was cut off by his mobile ringing violently on the table. "I better take this," he said quickly, picking the phone up and ducking outside to answer it. "Hello?" Sasuke asked into the phone, doing his best to not sound so annoyed.

"_Is he there with you?"_

"And what if he is?" Sasuke countered at the other voice that growled at him. "Yeah, your boyfriends here, sulking on my couch."

"…_Why is he sulking?"_

"Oh, there's things going on with his love life that's upset him," Sasuke smiled again when there was another growl of annoyance. "Gaara, you need to talk to Neji, like, now if you could please. Just come by and pick him up, and don't say your spending the day with Uzumaki-kun because I'll punch you out with Neji at my side."

Gaara was silent on the other end for a long moment. _"Even if I wanted to spend time with Naruto today, I couldn't. He's going out with his friends to the movies or something before crashing back at his place for a games night… and besides, why the hell is he sulking at your place. If he has something to say, he should damn well say it."_

"I told him that, but he didn't listen to me," Sasuke replied turning back towards the living room where Neji watched him in confusion. Sasuke turned away quickly and stepped further into the garden. "I think he needs you to tell him that, Gaara. I mean, there's only so much I can do for him. Just come by and pick him up, take him out for the day and do stuff together. I think that'll satisfy him and he might just tell you what's going on in that big head of his."

Silence lingered a moment before the was a rustling noise. _"I guess I better get up and get dressed then."_

"That sounds like a plan," Sasuke chuckled after some more rustling. "I'll let him know you're coming by."

"_No, don't mention anything. Just let it be, I'll be there soon."_ And then the line was dead. Sasuke just smiled to himself before slipping back into the living room, watching the way Hyuuga eyed him darkly.

"It was a business call," Sasuke lied, sitting down and taking a sip of his coffee, nearly choking on the lukewarm substance. _Damn it!_ Sasuke just left it alone, feeling a little annoyed he never even got a decent sip from it before Gaara called. "Now, what was I saying…"

* * *

The surprise visit had gone rather well actually, but now the so called excitement was gone, Sasuke found himself once again feeling very lonely in his empty home. It didn't matter; he was always alone in this place anyways. He rested on the couch most of the afternoon, trying to win back sleep that had been rudely stolen from him at five o'clock this morning when Hyuuga had stormed into his place. He totally regretted giving his friend a spare key to this place, but he'd never had the guts to ask for the key back… but then again, he wouldn't want to anyways.

He tried to rest for several hours before he gave up the fruitless attempt and began to pace his living room. Sasuke paced for a little of twenty minutes before he grabbed his coat and keys and slipped from his home and out into the now cool evening. The sun was almost hidden behind the horizon by now, but that didn't bother him at all. Instead of taking his car out, Sasuke choose the option to walk towards his destination, where ever that may be.

* * *

The sun was long gone when Sasuke finally sat down in the park, under one of the brightly lit areas that overlooked the lake in the middle. In his hands was a cup of coffee that he'd picked up from the stand only moments ago before the people running it retired for the night. Sasuke just sat there for the time being, trying to work out something that had begun to trouble him moments ago.

He was defiantly jealous of the way Gaara spent time with Naruto. They spent way too much time together and somehow, it pissed him off… not that he left it show on his face in front of the blonde during lessons. How could he give away any signs like that? He was meant to be Naruto _teacher_ for crying out loud…

…But it still didn't shake away the fact that he was very jealous. He wished _he_ was spending that time with the blonde haired student, but he wasn't… and shouldn't be. There should be nothing like that between the two of them anyways. "Sensei?" the voice startled him enough to jump from the bench and turn to the intruder who dared cut into his private time. Of course, before he allowed himself to get angry, he found himself unnaturally calm.

"Uzumaki-kun," Sasuke greeted calmly. "You startled me there," he said with a light laugh, watching the blonde haired teenager smile apologetically.

"What are you doing out this late, sensei?" Naruto asked curiously, his hands slightly clenching the bag that Sasuke only just noticed then and there.

"I should be asking you that question Uzumaki-kun," Sasuke replied, sitting back down on the bench.

"I just making my way back home," Naruto replied, moving up to the bench before following Sasuke gaze. "Do you like it out here, sensei? I've seen you here a few time before."

"Yeah, I tend to come here when I need time to think," Sasuke replied just as quietly, taking the final sip of his coffee before standing up again, moving over to the bin. "It's pretty common for people to see me here. Sometimes, I find it a good place to write other stories when I can't think of anything for my current one."

"You write more than that series?" Naruto asked, sounding bewildered. "I didn't know that, sensei."

"Well, I'll eventually be bringing that book to a end, since I'm at the final few chapters of the novel."

For some reason, when Sasuke turned back to Naruto, he saw hurt in his eyes. "I've been reading on from what I read in the holidays. I never realised how sad it really was. So much goes on in their lives… yet they still stand so firmly, still conceived in bringing their friend back."

Sasuke smiled softly, nodding in understanding. "Do you believe they will?" he asked, wanting to know Naruto opinion of the ending before he actually finished it. He'd already planned the ending, but it was nice to hear what other people believed.

"I think they will," Naruto grinned. "I have that feeling they won't give up just yet! They're strong kids, so they'll do it in the end." He went silent for a moment before he spoke again. "Sensei, will they bring him back?"

Sasuke turned away with a shrug. "Who knows, Katsuo is convinced he can do it, but Hanako… I believe she's given up at this stage."

"Never, she loved him! She would do everything she could to bring back Tsu-"

"She's not any more, though. She's seen the truth, and has moved on," Sasuke glanced at Naruto then sighed. "She was betrayed, Naruto. She has no choice but to move on. Would you want to remain trapped in that unrequited love of yours for so many years, knowing the other will never once turn their eyes on you with the same feelings? I think it's best to move on and acknowledge the others feelings instead of doing something that could tear you both apart. When the time comes, she will be strong enough to surpass him, and prove she's no longer held back because of her feelings for him. Who knows, she may even be the one to finish him off."

"You're going to kill him off in the end, sensei?"

"Tsubasa is very much like me, Naruto. He's trapped, tormented, and scared of the shadow in his life. He believes the only thing that's right is revenge, and will stop at nothing until that's finished and gone. However, what happens after he gets his revenge, Naruto?"

"Then he can go back!"

"No… he could never return to that life," Sasuke turned around quickly, startling Naruto. "He will never be able to return to his innocent life he had before. He's shed too much blood, seen death at the worse; he's been the victim all along. He was used, abused and violated and that has changed him drastically."

"But sensei… you've moved on and returned to a gentle life…" Naruto whispered. The comment actually startled Sasuke a little before he started to laugh bitterly. "Sensei?"

"Naruto, I've never moved on with life," Sasuke finally replied, moving over to him, resting a hand against his face. "I'm _just_ like Tsubasa, I will always trap and tormented by the power my father has over me. I will always be scared of that shadow that covers my life, always be in fear that if I try to make friends, if I try to fall in love, that I'll just lose them in the end because of my father's power over me. I don't want to love anyone anymore, Naruto. I choose to distance myself from many people to protect them."

"That doesn't explain me, though, sensei? Why have you welcomed me into the private and frightening domain of yours?" That was true, why had he accepted Naruto over so many people? Why was he allowing himself to let in someone who knew nothing of the world of power that he lived in? Hearing the words made him a little shock, not sure how to answer Naruto's question. "Sensei, why did you choose me?"

He had to say something, but what was he going to say? "I… I'm not sure," Sasuke finally replied, stepping away a little. "It's… something I never really thought about until now." Naruto looked a little confused but shrugged it away. Sasuke quickly looked for a topic change. "Anyways, weren't you spending tonight with your friends?"

"Err?" Naruto gave him a horrified look. "Who the hell told you _that_?"

It took a moment to realise that Naruto had in fact _lied_ to Gaara. "I heard it from Subaku this morning. Hyuuga was at my place and he called up, worried about Neji since he seemed a little distant from him… which is true since he's been upset that Gaara was spending more time with you than with him and so-"

"I'd gathered that was why Hyuuga-sensei seemed somewhat prissy towards me," Naruto cut him off, moving towards the lake's fence. "I said to Gaara that I was doing something today to give myself and him a break from each other. Even I need distance from him all the time, not that I don't like spending time with him." Naruto laughed lightly. "I didn't do anything with my friends today, I wanted a decent sleep in and to do things I normally do by myself on weekends." Naruto turned back around and leaned on the fence. "Are they together?"

"Yeah, I told him to pick Neji up and treat him to something nice tonight. I hope they talk over their problems."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "I do too, because I don't want to be on Hyuuga-sensei's bad side anymore."

Sasuke had to smile at that. "Who does? He's a very scary guy actually, so I don't blame you for wanting the two to make up and move on." Sasuke walked up to the fence, looking out over the water. "What have you been doing with Gaara all the time anyways?"

"He's been helping me with a few small tasks. One was cleaning out my apartment and helping me fix any problems with it. We went and brought new furniture for the place too, and ditched a lot of my old stuff. I was very due for a new bed, and with the sudden money I got from my god father, it gave me a chance to do so."

"So you've heard from him in the end?"

"Yeah, he had an accident on the site but he's all better now. He'll be back by the next holidays, so that'll be good," Naruto flexed his fingers a little, looking slightly troubled. "He never told me what happened, just that he had an accident… and that worries me a lot. He's not young anymore."

"If he's recovered, then that's the main thing," Sasuke replied, glancing towards the blonde who turned around, looking out at the lake.

"I guess that's true," Naruto sighed weakly. "Anyways, back to what I was saying about Gaara and me. We've just been doing simple tasks around my apartment and we spent some time working on any school work that I may have needed help on. That's really all we've done, but I needed a break from that all to catch up with my personal life."

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Sleeping," Naruto laughed, looking at his sensei with amused look. Sasuke smiled weakly back.

"That sounds like a plan I could use. Being rudely woken by Neji at five in the morning kills me, since I'm normally in bed late."

"Is it because you spend so much time writing, sensei?"

"Well, I want to finish this book before my editor goes to America for her father funeral," Sasuke replied, looking a little sad. "She came over last night in distress about it. She'll be leaving in two weeks times for it, and may not be back for a long time, depending what happens with her mother. I sort of promised myself to get this done for her since this is the one I decided to dedicate to her… for being such a brilliant editor and friend."

"You seem really close to her," Naruto commented, watching Sasuke smile at the comment.

"We are… since she was also my first editor. She was a rookie at that stage, just in the industry herself, so it sort of worked out. We were both new to the world of being accomplished writings and editors. At that stage, she was also doing a little writing herself, but stopped to focus on her career as an editor. Besides, I've known her since high school, not that we had any interaction with each other… so I guess I can't really say I've known since then, but still…"

"You seem to know a lot of people now that went to high school with, sensei."

"I guess I do. However, I've also lost a lot of friends over the years too, which doesn't surprise me one bit. Whenever people move on to something else, they tend to lose those close to them then and make new friends in their place."

"I don't like to think that way," Naruto said after a long pause drifted between them. "I like to think that the people you made friends with always remain your friends, it's just they move onwards now, and still think back on the good times. I've never forgotten my siblings at the Orphanage, never forgot my primary school friends that all went to different schools, and I refuse to forget the friends I have made now. It's not about losing people and replacing them, because there are always those friends that you keep in your heart forever."

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, letting the words sink in before he reopened them and rested a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I have a question, if a friend – a very close friend – who's betrayed you is suddenly in grave danger from them, would you try to protect them, or let them be?"

Naruto pondered on the question for a moment before he smiled and replied simply "there are always people who need saving, sensei. If this person had been close and betrayed me in belief they were trying to protect themselves and I, then with all my heart, I would fight for them as well."

* * *

"_I don't understand you…" Tsubasa whispered in a low tone, his hands clenched slightly around the long sword in his hands. "I _betrayed_ you and yet you've convinced yourself that I still care about you or Hanako, or our sensei? Don't make me laugh, Katsuo. I care nothing about you."_

_I flinched slightly at the words before I pushed myself back onto my shaky legs. "I can't believe that you think I would give up so easily, I can't even believe that you would give up on yourself this easily either. You're more important to us than you think. You threw away everything in order to protect us, to protect yourself. Over the years, your mind has become cluttered and overshadowed by your desire to kill that certain person, and now that you've achieved that, what are you going to do? You've abandoned everything…" I closed my eyes and took a long breath. "But you can still reclaim it."_

"_I should have killed you when I had the chance," Tsubasa snapped, readying himself for the final attack on I. "I don't get why you just won't leave me alone."_

_I smiled as I reopened my eyes and smiled ever so simply as I spoke my next words. "I choose to keep you close in my heart, Tsubasa. You're my greatest friend, my closest brother, my strongest rival. I choose never to forget you despite the way you threw us away. I choose to protect you, even if it was from yourself, the moment you slipped in the shadows. I'm determined to protect you, and because of that, I'm going to fight for you as well!"_

Closing the lid on his laptop, Sasuke smiled to himself before slipping off the couch and into his bedroom to rest. Somehow, he saw what was going to be a gloomy ending for his novel had turned around into something bright for once. _I guess he's not as dumb as he acts,_ Sasuke thought with a large smile as he slipped into bed. _I guess… he does have some smarts… whether if they can be used at school or not._

* * *

**A/N: AN UPDATE =D Not much to say about this chapter expect how the ending was a little cute . Naruto is so sweet in some ways, telling sensei his belief. The question is, would _you_ fight to protect someone who pushed you away in belief they were protecting you and themselves, though it appears to be doing them more damage than it did before? I think I would. =D**

**I hope you all enjoyed. See ya later =D  
**


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N:**** It's been a while since I was on, so I can tell you something, I had a heart attack over the new look. Sure, it's not much, but still, it was rather shocking. Anyways, sorry about the late update, but at least chapter twelve is up and ready for you to read. (to be truthful, I forgot what happened in this chapter ^^; Oops)  
**

******Only In Fiction**

**Chapter Twelve**

If there was something strange about the way his sensei had been acting during the last two weeks of school term, it was defiantly the attitude he was now faced with on a daily basis. To be truthful, he'd gotten used to the far more cheerful, kind teacher but suddenly, two weeks ago that had changed. First, he'd been hesitate around him, then almost cautious and all of a sudden, he'd reverted back to the old sensei he knew... the _Oni-Sensei_ as he was called. Of course, everyone noticed this change but passed it off as nothing. That was everyone expect maybe Uchiha-sensei's few close friends and, well, him.

There were a lot of rumours the students had made up at the beginning of the school term, but those murmurs died rather quickly – that was probably Hyuuga-sensei doing, since he had a total out-burst when he heard those rumours – and soon everything settled down into a boring, normal routine.

Naruto preferred that routine than the constant fear that a wrong word or phase would call upon the mighty demons of the abyss known as Uchiha-sensei inner evil that lurked and thirst blood. (Ok, a little exaggeration was allowed on his behalf because that was how he felt on this subject.) Besides, he wasn't the only one. It felt that he wasn't approachable anymore, even Hyuuga-sensei had commented on this dilemma a few times to himself.

Whatever was bothering Uchiha-sensei was clearly connected to him, because he seemed a little calmer around other people, but the minute he saw him his eyes glowed with annoyance which _really_ confused Naruto. Whatever it was, Naruto was determined to find out what the hell was Uchiha-sensei's problem.

It was almost an hour after school finished, and half the students were either still stuck in their afternoon lessons or clubs sessions while the rest had left the premises, returning home to do something in their now private time. Naruto was very different to them, instead, he hung around outside near the teachers car park, humming a very quiet tune to himself while one hand clutched onto the bag swung over his shoulder. His eyes wandered about the school yard a few times, before he sighed and closed his eyes. He held one wrist close to his chest rather defensively, having it tucked in the two way pocket of his jumper. At least there, he didn't have to worry about it being hurt by anything.

He glanced up at the tall clock tower that was on the other side of the school yard, near the main entrance that was used for the students to enter and leave, while the teacher car park was in a secluded area, hidden mostly by trees and buildings. It dimmed loudly, with sixteen long dims, stating the time was now 4 o'clock. He hid himself perfectly. – He knew it since he couldn't actually see the clock well from his hiding spot – somewhere where he could approach his sensei, but not be seen by teachers or students who were still possibly hanging around in the school grounds.

As the minutes went by, more teachers left until there were only a few remained. One of them was hopefully Uchiha-sensei, and Naruto prayed he wasn't planning on taking too long. Just as the thought crossed, he heard the back door to the school open and out waltzed a rather tired looking Uchiha-sensei, clutching his teachers bag in a iron like grip that made his hand tense. Naruto took a few deep breaths before he stepped out of the shadows and approached his sensei who still hadn't noticed him.

"Uchiha-sensei?" He called his teacher's attention in a quiet voice, which still managed to startle him out of his skin, making Naruto wince inwardly.

"Uzumaki-kun?" Uchiha-sensei replied, startled and breathless. "What are you still doing at school?"

Naruto almost wanted to reply to that in the witty way which would probably annoy his sensei, but Naruto fought the temptation back, since he was here on a mission. "There was something I wanted to ask you, sensei."

"You could have asked me earlier, Uzumaki-kun," Uchiha-sensei countered, looking over his with a cautious look. "I guess it's too late to say that now, so sip out what's troubling you."

"Right," Naruto's eyes fell to the ground, trying to think of the best way to state his feelings at the current moment. "I was... I'm worried about you, sensei. Something seems to be bothering you, and I feel like it's related to me somehow."

"It has nothing to do with you," he muttered out as he shrugged. "That kind of thinking will probably get you into trouble, Uzumaki-kun, so I recommend you not to think in that manner."

"But-"

Uchiha-sensei raised his hand to silence him. "No 'buts', Uzumaki-kun." Naruto frowned, clenching his hand that he hid in his pocket tight enough to make him wince. That was probably not the best thing to do since it made his sensei more alert, watching him with narrowed eyes. Suddenly Naruto felt as if his sensei was a hawk, watching his pray with great interest. "Is that all, Uzumaki-kun?"

"Sensei, I'm really concerned about-" Naruto began as he took a step towards his sensei, only to be shoved back enough to be pressed against the trees, hidden by the shadows that not only blocked his view of the roof of the school, but his sensei's eyes. They merged in with the darkness, no longer giving Naruto a clear view of the emotions running through him. His sensei had managed to pull his hand from his pocket during the confusion, making Naruto wince lightly again.

"I'm sure you have better things to do, like studying for a test or something."

"Sensei, today's the last day of school, and last time I checked, we don't get _tests_ in the holidays, and besides, all the work we're doing is all up to date thanks to Gaara-nii-chan." He could just see his sensei's mouth tighten, almost as if he was annoyed at the name spoken, but he couldn't be certain. "Is that it, you're annoyed at Gaara-nii-chan?"

"It has nothing to do with him," his sensei snapped back, his voice thick with anger. "Besides, I'm always pissed off when it comes to him."

Well that... that was true actually. Didn't matter, all Naruto wanted was for his sensei to let go of him. "I-I know that, but it still doesn't change the fact that something is bothering. I want to know what the hell is wrong with-"

"Uzumaki" the voice was stern, cutting Naruto in mid-sentence. "Let's go," he said in a sudden soft voice, almost making Naruto flinch, as if it hurt more than the annoyed tone. The minute he tried to protest, the hand wrapped around his wrist tightened, making Naruto's knees almost buckle under him as the pain sheered through it. Sharp stabbing pains in his arm almost brought tears to his eyes, but he refused to give in.

"Sensei, don't just back down like that. You started this shit when you-you-" he couldn't say the blasted word! "I have an entitlement to know what the hell is happening! You were the one who started all this shit between each other in the first place!"

There was a pause between them, making Naruto feel rather awkward. He was just about to speak up again when Uchiha-sensei roughly grabbed his pained wrist which caused Naruto to gasp in pain and his sensei to become still. They were silent for a long moment before the grip on his wrist loosened, and once again, his sensei was cautious. "I'll drop you off home," his sensei's voice was full of suppressed concern, and only when he stepped into the light Naruto could fully tell it wasn't just his voice. Every feature on his sensei's face was fill with a concerned look. Just as Naruto went to protest, the hand tightened in warning. "I'll take you home."

With that tone of voice, Naruto had no room to object.

* * *

Though the drive was probably only fifteen minutes long, it felt like an eternity for Naruto. There had been nothing spoken between each other since they'd climbed into the car, just tense silence that maybe Naruto's shoulders heavy. The whole car ride, Naruto had hid his wrist back in his jumper, whimpering inwardly for the dull pain to finally settle down. Of course, little did Naruto know that his sensei had been watching the blonde from the corner of his eye? Eventually he broke the silence between them.

"Uzumaki is something bothering you."

It took a couple of minutes for Naruto to realise his sensei was speaking, speaking to _him_. "Huh?"

"You're hand," his sensei finally pulled the car to the curve, killing the gas. "You've been rather...protective of it, protective of it all week." _Shit!_ His sensei had noticed! His sensei finally turned to him, looking over him cautiously before speaking again. "If it weren't for that, I would never have guessed _you_ were hiding something."

Naruto looked down at the hand he hid and shrugged. _Act causal_ was what he told himself before replying. "I hurt myself when I was moving things around in my apartment. It's nothing that spectacular really." It was a lie, but even Naruto was pretty convinced himself for a moment.

That was when his sensei made a noise, something similar to a laugh – a laugh that sound_ annoyed_, strangely. "Is that so" his sensei replied, not sounding too convinced. "It wasn't a fight, or anything serious I should worry about."

"Nope." Wow, he was good at acting, and praised himself mentally for being so good. However, during his victory in hs mind, he didn't notice his sensei's hand pulling out his wrist gently until pain slammed through him. He tried to yank it away, but his sensei hung on tight enough to hurt.

"If you just 'hurt yourself while moving things around', then you wouldn't be pulling away like that...unless your hiding something else."

"I'm not hiding anything, _you_ hurt me, so I retailed." That was a piece of truth within the lie.

"Was it them again?" Naruto stared at his sensei as he rolled up his sleeve gently. "Naruto, you sure it wasn't fight, or are you trying to convince yourself as much as you are trying to convince me?"

Naruto had to hand it to his sensei, he was good. Of course, Naruto wasn't going to tell him that. "Sensei, really, it was nothing of the sorts."

"Then how did this happen, Uzumaki-kun?" His sensei was trying to be gentle, though his words were stern in its own sense. "How did you get these bruises. Not to mention, they don't just stop at your wrist, they go all the way up to-"

"Sensei, I'm entitled to secrets as well."

"Not if they're life threatening!" Uchiha-sensei countered with a growl. "You_ are_ in trouble."

A statement, Naruto knew better than anyone that his sensei was seeing through every lie he tossed out. However, Naruto had told himself earlier that week that he was _not_ going to drag his sensei into this. "Let sleeping dogs lie, sensei. It'll just make things worse."

"Uzumaki...kun..." There was a long moment of silence before his sensei growled out "are there more on your body?"

"P-Pardon!

"Bruises, you idiot, bruises! Are there more on your body!"

"Sensei, just stay ou-"

"You're telling me to leave this alone when you are _clearly_ in grave danger! You're telling _me_ to stay away, and do what? Find you in a blasted ditch _again?"_

"Alleyway, it was an alleyway!" Naruto corrected angrily.

"Alleyway, ditch, they're all the same!" His sensei raised his voice enough to be loud, but not enough to be considered shouting. "It's connected, isn't it Naruto!"

"Of course it's freaking connected!" Naruto went dead silence once the words slipped out and cursed loudly.

"Naruto?"

"What?"

Naruto turned his head back around, angry tears in his eyes and opened his mouth to snap out a rude comment when another mouth pressed against his, stopping him from coming out with what he planned to say. Naruto went to pull away, but his sensei forced him still for what felt like an eternity. His body trembled lightly, but the moment passed and his sensei pulled back hesitantly, watching for a reaction. However, Naruto didn't know what to do, and sat there with a spaced out look. Nervously, his sensei raised a hand, brushing back the tears, which startled Naruto back into reality. "Naruto, talk to me..._pleased_, talk to me."

But there was nothing to really talk about...

* * *

It had taken almost half an hour to convince his sensei to let him go – a few times his sensei had nearly started the car back up and threatened to take him back to his place – but in the end, his sensei let go and left. However, the battle wasn't fully over. Naruto found out nothing, and knew something was waiting for him in his apartment.

Naruto's hands shook when he tried unlocking the door, and dropped his keys half a dozen times before he managed to get into the room. As he opened the door, the phone rang and he paled, not moving from his spot in the door way.

The more he tried to convince himself it was Kiba or Shikamaru, the more he refused to touch the phone. If it were, they'd call his mobile next, if it wasn't...then the phone would just keep on ringing and changing onto the answer machine.

_What if it's..._ no, that thought would convince him to answer the phone, which could be dangerous for his health if it wasn't. Instead, he closed the door behind him, slid down the back and waited.

The answer phone picked up.

A voice spoke...

...And minute later Naruto was gone, moving from the main room to his bedroom, where he hid in the darkness, whimpering with fear. _How much longer was this going to go on for?_

* * *

**A/N: OOOOOH, that's what's happening haha ^^; Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed it. Updates will HOPEFULLY come soon...one my first lot of finals are OVER! YAY, TWO WEEKS TIL THE HOLIDAYS!  
**


	14. Chapter 13

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter T****hirteen**

**A/N: New update. I've just finished my final (YAY) but still have a week left of school. But I managed to get this updated for you all. Now... must go find a bucket of warm water to soak my blue fingers in. And everyone said it's not cold. _"Liars"_**

* * *

"_Naruto, talk to me...__**please**__, talk to me." He never realised how scared Naruto was. In some ways, he saw a child rather than a young adult sitting next to him in the car. For a shaky second, Naruto raised his hand to touch Sasuke's before he brushed it away, moving to get out the car. "Naruto, I'm begging you. Your life could be in-"_

"_Sensei...?" Naruto said as he climbed from the car, his voice very low that Sasuke strained to hear it. "If I want to talk, I'll talk to you. But for now, I have to face my own problems."_

"_But it's always nice having someone there...someone to talk to."_

_Naruto nodded, and turned around with a weak smile. "It is, I admit, but sometimes...it's better to for me to hold this weight on my shoulders sensei, not you." And with that, Naruto turned to leave, slinging his bag over the shoulder, but just before the door slammed shut, Sasuke reached out and grabbed Naruto's hand drawing his attention back. "Sensei?"_

"_Promise...Promise me that if something happens you'll get in contact with me. Promise me that at least!"_

_Naruto thought about it for a moment before he nodded slowly. "Alright, I promise if something happens...I'll let you know."_

That conversation had been four days ago, but it still weighted heavy on Sasuke. The fact that Uzumaki-kun was hiding something that could be the end of him caused him to worry and barely sleep. Of course, if Sasuke thought about things logically, if his father new the son of the Uzumaki/Namikaze family was alive and well...he'd be in danger around him. However, that didn't matter at all. He was determined to protect his student with everything he had.

After a little pacing, Sasuke finally sat down on the couch, his hands folded over the file in his lap. He'd gone through the folder too many times already. It was rude of him, yes, but Sasuke was determined to know what was going on. _"He became __**very**__ defensive of you."_ Though Hyuuga had said that awhile back, the words were burnt in and lingered on. That conversation still played on his mind, and now the more he watched Uzumaki-kun grow, the more he saw his father standing in his place. Sasuke had yet to tell anyone that he knew Uzumaki-kun's father. Even Hyuuga had no clue about it, and he was determined to keep it silent.

"You look restless," a voice commented, making Sasuke grow and turn about on the couch, staring up t his brother who leaned causally on the back of it.

"Don't you know how to use the front door?"

"Didn't I already tell you, I can't let any gangs know about you being my brother," Itachi replied with a causal shrug then a small smile. "I've looked into what you wanted, but it's been a while since I heard either of those names."

"I sorry, but I have to look into this," Sasuke's answer was filled with pain, which his brother picked up on immediately.

"Sasuke, what's your interest in the Uzumaki and Namikaze family in the first place?"

Sasuke wasn't sure if he should reply to that, but when he turned back to his brother, it was clear that Itachi was going to make him talk one way or another. "I believe I mentioned the name once before."

"A student, if I recall pass events," Itachi replied, moving around to sit next to his brother. "When you mentioned the name then, it didn't click until I got home later. I'm rather curious to why you happen to know the brat of the man father killed."

"It just happened like that, even though father swore he wiped them out, now didn't he?" Sasuke leaned back in the couch, arms crossed against his chest and eyes closed. "I know it's not right to look into someone's privacy-"

"It's pretty much illegal, Sasuke," Itachi cut in, making Sasuke nod in agreement. "I looked through the files as well, but I don't know what you're looking for."

"I have a strange feeling he's being stalked by someone dangerous" Sasuke said in a low voice, one that didn't mistake the dread in it.

Itachi watched his younger brother a moment before he passed over the file. "I looked into the last few years. That kids got a history of getting into trouble, and whatever reports looked interesting, I added." He slowly moved his hand away as Sasuke took the file. "I have a feeling your right on this Sasuke. Whoever's behind this, they're bloody clever at it."

"You don't think they are from…?"

"No, a simple gang, nothing that spectacular, really," Itachi replied with a shrug, looking at his brother as he flipped through the reports. "It seems the assaults go back to about halfway during your first term at the school, the year before you took on the kid's class. The reports to the police stopped the beginning of this year, during the winter holidays." (1)

"But why the hell would they stop reporting these attacks?" Sasuke growled angrily, reading through the reports. "Surely the police could have done _something_."

"That's the issue, Sasuke. They weren't doing _anything_. Also, I had a shit of a time trying to find those reports, because most of them are issued under a different surname."

_A different…surname?_ "What name?" Sasuke demanded, turning to his brother. "What surname was it under?"

"Eeto…" his brother gave this a long, thoughtful moment. "…Namikaze…I think."

Why did Naruto have to change his name from Namikaze to Uzumaki anyways? It made no sense at all. And how did Gaara know his surname was Uzumaki when Naruto had been addressed as Namikaze in the first place? Something seemed fishy, but he wasn't sure what. "Thanks for these, Itachi. I'll work the rest out on my own."

* * *

"_Don't do anything reckless, Sasuke."_

If reckless meant confronting the person who was hiding the secrets, then yes, he was ignoring his brothers warning and doing something irresponsible. However, if Uzumaki was allowed to worry about him, then he had every right to worry back. Naruto wasn't ready to know his side of the story, that was why he avoided the conversation a much as possible, but when it came to Uzumaki Naruto, it was inexcusable to not notice the boy was in constant danger. _I wonder if that's why he turned down my offer to let him stay with me._ Whatever the case, Sasuke was determined to find the answer…

…Which was closer than he expected. He'd just pulled up to the curve when a fimilar face struck him by surprise. "Uchiha-sensei, what ya doing here?" There was no mistaking the slight accent in the way the voice spoke. He'd always had a strange, immature way in speaking. Standing at the curve was Naruto's closest friend, Inuzuka Kiba, someone who never really let the blonde out of his sight. "Is Naruto in trouble?"

"Not with me," Sasuke replied, but still agreed in the same note. "Is Uzumaki-kun home?"

"If he were, I'd be up there with 'im, sir," was what Inuzuka-kun said at first, they his face darkened a little. "He's avoiding everyone, sir. Not just me, but Shika and Ino too. Ye know something's up when the kid doesn't answer his mobile phone."

"But he is home, right?"

"Probably, he's just not answering the damn door. It's rather annoying, to be truthful." Inuzuka-kun looked up towards the apartment floor. "It's gone on too long" it was strange to hear him drop the accent, but Sasuke didn't comment on its sudden disappearance. (2) He'd always known the boy choose to speak like that, but he rarely heard the boy speak properly. "Sensei…do you know…about the attacks?" Inuzuka-kun turned back to him, searching his face. Sasuke just nodded, making the boy's face sadden. "It's getting worse…and it's my fault."

_His fault?_ Sasuke didn't understand that statement well. How was this related to Inuzuka-kun anyways? "Inuzuka-kun, what do you mean but 'it's my fault'?"

Inuzuka-kun shifted restlessly on his feet. "Sometime after you joined the school, the gang and I were out at the clubs when they came in. They started on Ino for some reason, even she doesn't know, so we all stepped in. They threw the first punch at me, and Naruto retaliated and threw the second one back almost instantly. That was when things sorta started. Then they began stalking us, and in the end, I took them on and got badly hurt. Ending up in hospital for a while, I don't know if you remember that time I had a broken arm and broken rib? I got that from the fight. Naruto jumped in that time and took them on, and actually won. He told them to leave us alone or he'll report them to the police. From there on, Naruto got silent phone calls and messages that made no sense in his mailbox at the apartment he was in at the time. That's when he moved, but the silent calls still came. Eventually, it turned into someone talking gibberish across the phone. Not to mention there were the random jumping's and attacks on Naruto too over the years. I think he's at wits end, now sensei. He's terrified, and doesn't know what to do. He won't talk to any of us, and pretends nothings wrong, but something is wrong." Inuzuka-kun looked back up at the apartment. "Sensei, I don't know what to do. Every time I report things, it makes things worse and half the time the police just don't care. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Let me see what I can do," Sasuke placed a hand on his shoulder, a small smile of reassurance. "I have connects, I'll sort this out."

* * *

Sasuke stood in front of the apartment door that would led into Naruto's sanctuary, but the more he tried to make himself know, the more he worked himself up. Regardless, he promised Inuzuka-kun that he was going to do something about this, that he'd sort this out, so he had no choice. _Naruto might not speak to me, but I have to try._ Sucking in a deep breath, Sasuke tapped lightly on the door, hoping it was loud enough for Naruto to hear.

No answer came to the door, annoying Sasuke slightly. He tapped again, a little louder and waited, but nothing still. He sighed and decided that Naruto would defiantly be close of enough to hear him speak at least. "Uzumaki-kun, it is Uchiha-sensei. I've come here to talk to you, so can you open up?" There was no answer for a moment before Sasuke heard the doors lock click, before the door opened wide, almost startling him. Of course, he knew immediately Naruto was trying to act fine but there was no mistaking the rings under his eyes. It was clear he hadn't slept.

"What can I do for you, sensei?" Naruto asked, slightly cautious with his words.

Seeing Naruto in this state almost made Sasuke growl out something rather rude to him, but instead he replied darkly, "drop the act, I know _everything_." …And just as the words escaped Sasuke, he saw Naruto's shoulders drop and he turned away, moving into the apartment and leaving the door open for Sasuke to enter. Sasuke slipped in, shutting and locking the door before he followed into the apartment.

"I guess Kiba was going to blabber eventually," Naruto muttered to himself as he sat down on the couch, hiding his face in his hands. "If you're going to lecture me about not asking for help, I've been there and-"

"I'm not here to lecture _anyone_, Uzumaki-kun," Sasuke cut in, moving over to him, running his hands through the blonde's hair. He never really realised how soft it was until now. "I'm here because I'm worried about you." Naruto to reply, making Sasuke frown, sighing slowly when he realised he wasn't going to get a reply. "I know you're still annoyed that I won't speak about my problems and-"

"I'm not annoyed about that!"

"-you have every right to be. I mean, I can understand because I'm in the same position. Someone I care for isn't talk to me about his problems, and it's frustrating for me to sit around and do nothing. However, my situation isn't something I can easily talk with someone who barely knows me. You probably feel the same about this, but I'm also your teacher. If something taking your mind off your studies and is actually physically harming you, I have every right to step in an intervene. Besides, you'd probably want this solved because Jiraiya-san returns home, right?"

Naruto muttered something that sounded like "right", but Sasuke couldn't be too sure, since the blonde seemed to be more quiet today than normal.

"Naruto" Sasuke spoke in a soft voice, which caught Naruto's attention enough to finally look up at him. "Do you trust me?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?" Naruto choked out, looking irritated for being asked a ridiculous question. "Of course I trust you, you're my sensei."

"Then I promise you, I'll solve this before tomorrow afternoon."

Naruto didn't seem to react to that, much to Sasuke's surprise and worry. "Sensei, no offense, but I've been trying to work out who they are for the last three years. I doubt you'll work this out before tomorrow afternoon."

"Naruto, I've never told anyone this, but with the kind of job my older brother has, I'll get this sorted out by tomorrow afternoon." Sasuke had to smile when Naruto gave him a puzzled look. The mental image of a cat trying to work out how to grab a ball of yarn filled his mind when he saw that look on Naruto's face. "…You're adorable, has anyone ever told you that?"

A moment of silence passed them before Naruto's face turned bright red – Sasuke couldn't work out if it was out of rage or embarrassment however – and he stood up, pushing Sasuke back a little. "I thought this was a serious conversation, sensei! Don't go and chang-"

Sasuke refused to hear the end, so he silenced the blonde when he grabbed him and pulled him real close, enough that only a centimetre or two separating their mouths. "Be careful, Naruto-kun. I might just take advantage of your naivety."

Naruto's face slowly changed, one from almost shock-paralyzed with the realisation on how close they were to a infuriated one that made him try to pull away… not that Sasuke was going to let the blonde escape him, so he wrapped his arm around his waist, keeping the blonde close. "Damn it, sensei! Stop trying to throw your career down the freaking drain!"

"I don't care about my career, all I want is you" that was a joke, Sasuke meant it as a joke – well… he at least prayed he meant it that way.

"You damn romanticist! Lemme go!" Naruto squirmed for a few minutes before he gave up, resting his forehead against Sasuke's shoulder. "I hate you sensei."

"I love you too." This was all too amusing for Sasuke, which he knew Naruto could tell by his voice, but still. He enjoyed the moments he was allowed to be close to the blonde, knowing nothing of his profession as a teacher and author could interfere with it. Slowly, Sasuke raised his hand to run through the blonde's hair again, closing his eyes enough so he could hear just the sound of Naruto's deep breathing and heart pounding. The longer they stood there, silent, the more Sasuke realised that Naruto was getting more tensed. When it became unbearable, he slipped his hand from Naruto's hair and moved back so he could see the blonde's face. He looked to the side, his face still red. "Naruto, look at me." The blonde only glanced at him from the corner of his eye, but refused to meet his face. "Properly, Naruto."

"So what, you can kiss me again."

"I didn't think of that until now, but I guess I was trying to led onto kissing somewhere along the lines."

Naruto turned to face him, ready to give Sasuke a mouthful of abusive language before he was silenced with a kiss, one that lingered only long enough to make itself known. Sasuke waited a moment, waiting to see what Naruto was to do next, but the blonde stubbornly stood his ground, trying to look intimating – which was failing badly since his face was still rather red. Sasuke waited a moment before he moved back in, kissing Naruto slowly. To his surprise, Naruto hesitantly kissed back. They were like that for a few moments before Naruto finally grabbed onto the side of Sasuke's shirt, his body trembling. It was only then did Sasuke realise that Naruto was scared he was going to disappear on him. He was more scared that he'd guess, probably because Naruto was holding his guard up for so long that Sasuke almost forgot the real reason he was here.

He was here to protect what he wanted to belong to him. It didn't matter if it was one-sidered on his behalf, he wanted to protect Naruto from danger, danger that he already had worked out. He just needed a clue, just something that would prove him right.

When Sasuke went to move back, Naruto held on tighter, not wanting to go. "I'll stay," Sasuke crooned when he finally broke the kiss. "I'll stay, right here, with you."

* * *

It was early in the morning when Sasuke finally warily woke from his light slumber, his body stiff. He glanced down at the blonde who hand was slumped over Sasuke's body. All night that arm had been rather protective, cling to him tight enough that Sasuke couldn't move at all. Now, at least, he had a chance to go toilet before the blonde woke up.

He slipped from the sheets silently, doing his best to suppress a yawn when the phone began to ring. Sasuke froze and moved quickly to the living room, hesitating before picking up the phone. This might be his clue, so he wasn't going to waste it.

Dead silence was what met Sasuke for a moment before the voice began. It was true, what was being said mad no sense… to anyone other than him. However, even over the phone, Sasuke knew the voice well and smiled. "So, I finally found you." Sasuke cut in, interrupting the voice. It was a long moment before the voice replied to him.

"…_Uchiha-sensei?"_

* * *

**(1) Mental blank… winter is at the beginning of the year in Japan right, like, they had a white Christmas and all over there right? ¬.¬ I can't remember that or my own roster (shouldn't take too much time away from writing this… I forget things rather quickly -.-)**

**(2) Kiba speaks with a fake accent, yes.**

**So yes, some DEVELOPMENT =D I like development haha. Cya later .  
**


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: Sorry for the late update lol. I'm going to try and get this story up-to-date here on since I'm currently on hiatus on DA (where this story is up-to-date) so expect a three more chapters to be up soon =D The reason I'm on hiatus is because my exams are next week and it's crunch time now at school -.- but never the less, I still want to get you all up-to-date ASAP! I think the next three will be weekly updates, and hopefully by then, I'll be able to do some more writing for this =D**

**Anyways, thank you guys for reading and enjoy! (I've been very proud of myself on DA, since I've reached 10K page views. It's quite a lot, so I'm very happy :] It's all thanks to such loyal reader's like you guys!)**

* * *

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter ****Fourteen**

"Wait sensei, what do you mean by 'I know who it is'?" Naruto demanded, trying to dress himself as his sensei left the room, looking rather anxiety. "How the hell did you work it out anyways?"

"There was a phone call this morning so I answered it. The way the person talked was familiar, and I also recognized the sound of being on speaker phone. Though the words were well planned, it's almost like childish gibberish. Also, I recognized the voice, despite how phones change the way we sound and all. I just recognized the voice, so now I'm going to deal with it."

"Ok, I understand that," Naruto's voice was muffled upon saying the words as he tried to put on his shirt. "But why the hell are you going to deal with this anyways? I should go and-"

"Bad idea" Uchiha-sensei cut in, raising his hand to silence all debate. "The one who was talking gibberish has mental issues. _Serve_ mental issues. One minute he could be just like you and me, then he could revert to a childish state. There was an accident that caused this, but I can't tell you why. It's just... I didn't expect to hear from these two at all."

"What do you mean?"

"They were in the group that I worked with in my final year of university. The two of them were walking time bombs, both easily angered. I was always careful to keep them happy, but after that accident, they both changed drastically. Then, a few weeks after that, they stopped... coming to school. I never saw either of them again, but I can still remember them crystal clear. Anyways, I'll sort this out, because to be truthful, I'm the only one who can really deal with them without feeling intimidated."

Naruto gave it a long thought. Should he really let his sensei deal with this on his own? _I guess I have no choice in this matter_. "Alright, I'll wait here."

Uchiha-sensei looked surprised that Naruto gave in so quickly but smiled softly nevertheless. "I'll be back, and I promise to have this sorted by this afternoon. After all-"

"Uchiha's keep their promises," Naruto finished, nodding. He knew, somewhere, he could trust Uchiha-sensei.

* * *

Sasuke had barely made it out of the apartment building when he flipped his phone open, dialled a number and waited for it to ring. The voice that answered spoke very casually, as if he knew Sasuke was going to call. _"What's up, lil bro."_

"I have a job for you," Sasuke said, moving towards his car, which he left out front of the apartment building. "I want you to go find those two guys I mentioned yesterday. I have a bone to pick with them after all."

"_So, they are connected after all, as expected from my little brother. You knew the truth behind before having any evidence to back up your claims. You should have been a lawyer rather than a teacher,"_ Itachi commented over the phone with a light chuckle. _"Give me half an hour, go to the usual hotel when that times up. I'll have them by then."_

"There you go, thinking all high and mighty. Half an hour, it's impossible. They could be anywhere in-"

"_Half an hour, Sasuke, and I __**will**__ have them. Remember, it's not just me here. I have men who've been tracking them for the past 17 hours. I think we've nearly found them, so give us half an hour to deal with this, then met me at the normal spot."_

"Fine, whatever," Sasuke hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket and climbed into his car, starting it up before thinking for a moment. He had half an hour to kill, so what could he do in that time? What could he do…?

* * *

The yelling could be heard for miles away. Sasuke winced a few times and bowed his head, hoping no one would notice the "popular" author, Uchiha Sasuke, was heading towards the meeting rooms near the back of the hotel – the same hotel as to where he'd invited Naruto, that time there had been a business event that Neji had dragged them to. The rooms he passed had most of their doors closed, which probably had been closed out of frustration, but the ones that were opened just convinced him to move that little bit quicker to reach the room in question.

The voice was very similar to the one he knew from when he worked with the kid, but somehow it'd taken on a more mature, masculine tone, which would be due to having to mature quicker due to the rough lifestyle he took.

"You son of a bitch, when my gang hears of this they'll-"

"What kick my ass? Hah, you're denser than Sasuke claims you to be."

"Fuck you, don't you dare mention that asshole's name around us again!"

"Whose asshole's name," Sasuke snapped when he burst into the room, startling the two younger occupants. There was a minute silence before Itachi chuckled behind his hand, only outraging the other before him more. "Itachi-nii-san, don't provoke him any more." He deliberately called him his brother to state where the other two stood, which was basically below them. After a moment, the long, red haired youth settled down before strolling across to where the black haired, pale boy sat, his eyes looking around the room in awe.

"So, you finally show your face after all these years of me trying to call you out, _sensei_." There was a bitter taste in the last word spoken, but Sasuke ignored it and sat down on the opposite couch in the same instant as Itachi shutting the door, before leaning on it – a statement that they weren't going _anywhere_ – arms crossed over his body. "I didn't think you would, since you're such a whiny ass idiot anyways."

"You have a lot of nerve being rude. I only tried to help back then," _and it's not like I needed your issues on top of my own when it came to that bastard._ Sasuke finished mentally, leaning back on the couch.

"If you're going to lecture me about that stupid brat, then you better hear my side of the story first."

"That's why I'm here, actually. I want to know how this started and sort it out, because that stupid brat – as you call him – is very important to me."

"Because Sasuke-san has feelings for him," the black haired youth spoke for the first time, the sight tang of insanity in the back of his voice. "I saw you two together, you're very close."

"Yes we are, _very_ close." Tensing the word made the red haired tense a little more than look away. "So, start from the beginning…" he hesitated in saying the name of the boy, but spoke it nevertheless "_Naruto_-kun."

The red haired sneered a little at being called that name, but turned back anyways. "No one calls me that anymore, I dropped it the moment I got out of the hell hole."

"Then what do you prefer me to call you then?" Sasuke inquired, watching the other hesitate slightly.

"Kyuubi…people call me Kyuubi now days."

Sasuke nodded, noting it mentally. "Alright, Kyuubi-kun, start from the beginning…"

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is pretty short, but I'll be back next week with an update! Bye-Bye!**


	16. Chapter 15

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter ****Fifteen**

"_Sensei!" a voice called out, stopping Sasuke before he left the school building. He turned about, staring at the red youth who pressed his hand against the wall, breathing heavily. "Sensei, there is something I wanted to say you."_

"_What is it, Naruto-kun?" Sasuke asked, a small smile pressing his lips._

_Naruto moved over to Sasuke, bowing in front of him which startled Sasuke. "I'm truly sorry about my behaviour the last few days, on both my brother's and my behalf. We've been nothing but a problem for you. Can you forgive me?" Naruto glanced up, watching Sasuke's face carefully._

_Sasuke thought about it for a moment before he ran a hand through Naruto's hair. "It's quite alright, Naruto-kun. I know you and Sai-kun have been upset about something, but just remember that I'm here to help you whenever you need me."_

_A brilliant smile filled Naruto face and he nodded cheerfully. "Thank you, Uchiha-sensei!"_

* * *

Kyuubi laughed bitterly to himself as he watched his brother examine the rose bushes of the Uchiha mansion. Sasuke handed him a cup of coffee, watching Sai as well. "He loved your garden more than anyone I knew," Kyuubi admitted, looking down at the coffee. "He's been getting better, sometimes he can go a week without falling back into that state, but he's still badly hurt."

"Orochimaru done some horrible things to you both," Sasuke admitted with a sigh, leaning against the brick wall. "I can understand the trauma was extensive… but you both fled before you gave me chance to help you."

"But we're you better off, Sasuke?" Kyuubi asked, watching Sasuke tense before shaking his head. "You, too, have suffered a great deal because of him… and then there's your father. What was I to expect from someone who was already falling apart at the seems?"

There was a moment that lingered between them before Sasuke sighed, nodding as he understood where Kyuubi was getting at. "You two were too young to understand the world was a cold place, but when that attack happened on Sai, you came to see a world you never saw. You began to see people in a new light, and because of that, you came to understand me." Sasuke glanced at Kyuubi from the corner of his as he drank from his coffee cup. "But I'm here to help you when you need it, and I know Uzumaki-kun has stressed you out, but enough is enough."

Kyuubi growled but nodded nevertheless. "What is he to you, sensei, your lover or something?"

"He's a valid student I've come to cherish and understand… but he can be nothing more than that," Sasuke's face was sad since he knew his position quite well. "I'm his sensei, so I can't be anything more than that."

"For now," Kyuubi commented with a smile, which actually made Sasuke blush lightly. He covered it with his coffee cup. "When an Uchiha has his heart set on something, he never back away from it!"

Sasuke chuckled, shaking his head. "I guess we don't do we."

"I pity him now, for having such a demon want to steal him away," Kyuubi commented, receiving a dark glare from Sasuke. Kyuubi looked away, a board smile on his lips. Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned back to Sai, who was still admiring the roses. They were in content silence for a moment before Sasuke's phone buzzed in his pocket. Sasuke quickly excused himself from the two.

"Uchiha Sasuke spea-" Sasuke had barely been given a chance to speak when a voice blasted him over the phone. Wincing, Sasuke held the phone away from his ear and allowed the other person to yell and complain at him before he finally had a chance to speak. "Haruno-san, welcome back home. How was America, did you enjoy your holiday?"

"_How can anyone enjoy their trip when their father's died!"_ Haruno-san roared at him with annoyance. _"And not only that, the blasted author I'm meant to keep an eye on does send me ANYTHING at all! Where the hell are you up to in your story anyways?"_

"Finished it," Sasuke admitted, sitting down on the couch with a smile, staring at the large pile of white paper. "I think the next book with be the last book in the series I write, Haruno-san. As much as I love it, it's just about at it's conclusion."

"_That's understandable. Alright, are you at home? I'll come over and have a look at what you've done."_

"Can we do this tomorrow, I have some issues to resolve first."

Haruno-san was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. _"Sasuke… you're not in trouble again, are you?"_

"No, just a student of mine has been caught up in something, something from my past that is," Sasuke glanced out the glass windows and towards Kyuubi, who'd join Sai at the roses. "Sakura-chan… how have you been? It must have been a hard few months."

"_It was, but I'll tell you more when I see your next. Talk to you tomorrow, and be sure to actually be home!"_

Sasuke laughed and promised her he'll be here and hung up, thinking to himself to awhile before Kyuubi popped his head in. "I'll take you two home, there's something I need to do," Sasuke told him with a gentle smile.

* * *

"Sensei, where the hell are you taking me?" Naruto demanded with annoyance as he wad dragged towards the car. Sasuke didn't answer and held the door open for the blonde who watched him cautiously before slipping into the car. Sasuke had burst into his apartment announcing Naruto had to follow him since he just saved his ass from what had been happening. Naruto had reluctantly agreed, still trying to work out what he had in planned. "What are you scheming anyways?"

"Dinner, nothing that bad," Sasuke smiled politely as he climbed in the car. He ignored any question Naruto shot at him for the first half of the drive before he replied. "It's just _dinner_ Naruto, don't be such a baby."

"I don't care if it's just dinner, if there's alcohol, I don't want to be near you! Last time you pretty much molested me!"

"Then why didn't you report me?" Sasuke countered with a wicked grin, seeing how Naruto flustered with the comment. "Unless you _liked_ it?"

Naruto snorted, turning his head to the window, frowning. He claimed it was dinner, but know his sensei, it was going to be something too fancy for his tastes. "Sensei, how did you do it?"

"Do what, kiss you?" Naruto's reflective glare made Sasuke chuckle to himself. "I can't explain what I did, just trust me. If they cause you trouble, it's probably because I've done something to shit them off this time."

Naruto frowned for a moment before he sighed. "Sensei, I only trusted you because I knew you could do something about it, but doesn't mean I'll trust you every time."

"That's fine with me… just as long as you enjoy dinner tonight, I'll be fine with anything."


	17. Chapter 16

**Only In Fiction**

**Chapter ****Sixteen**

He was such a fool but he shouldn't have expected anything less since this was Uchiha Sasuke who he was dealing with. Naruto had no problems about being invited out to dinner? Who wouldn't like it, after all it meant a free dinner since Uchiha-sensei was paying for it. He was perfectly fine with the fact that he was going to spend a few more hours with his sensei and might get some answers because of it. However...

"Sensei, I think there's something wrong with your brain," Naruto commented weakly as he followed Uchiha-sensei into the lavish, ten story hotel and towards the dinning section. It wasn't like Naruto wasn't familiar with this place, but that didn't matter. **(1)** The fact he was being dragged out to a very expensive dinner pissed him off the most. "Are you serious, sensei? Why this place of all other places we could have gone?"

"Because the foods great?" his sensei said as he glanced back, his stride never breaking. His sensei ignored any other questions fired at his, so Naruto gave up and continued to follow his sensei.

"Uchiha-_dono_," **(2)** the elderly man greeted at the front of the dining area, bowing his head slightly at the both of them. "It is always a great honour to have you in our presences." He moved away and spoke "we already have your table set up."

Now Naruto became cautious. His sensei must have planned this from the beginning. Naruto shot the worse glare he could master at his sensei's back, who either brushed it off or just hadn't noticed it at all. The room they moved to was in more of a private area, and over looked the beautiful gardens. Ignoring the annoyance he had, Naruto moved over to the window, his eyes wide with wonder. He'd seen some of the gardens last time, but not this part. He heard his sensei say something but ignored it and looked about.

The large garden was lit up by small lanterns that were pinned into the ground, some illuminating more of the beautiful plants while others lit up the small paths that disappeared further into the gardens. He's always believed his sensei's gardens were beautiful, but this was just magnificent!

"I tend to have this room often," his sensei said as he loosed his tie, a small smile on his lips. "Whenever my mother was fit enough, we'd come here so she could admire the gardens as well. I'll have to bring you here sometime in the daytime, then you can really get to see the gardens."

"Really?" Naruto asked, turning about with delight. "That would be awesome!" inwardly he cheered, all annoyance he had a moment ago completely vanishing with the delightful thoughts. His sensei just smiled and sat down, pouring himself a glass of wine. Naruto slowly narrowed his eyes when he noticed what his sensei was doing. "Don't get drunk on me again, sensei," he warned.

His sensei just laughed lightly and ignored it, glancing towards the gardens. "If you think I'm bad, wait until you meet my brother. He's never been able to stomach much alcohol and feels the effects a lot quicker." That could be bad, because the lord only knew what his brother could be like.

As if on cue, the door opened with the waiter who bowed to them. Naruto suddenly felt uneasy as he sat down, the man handing him the menu. Naruto swallowed weakly as he looked over the price list and prices. He wasn't sure on what to do with himself, and his sensei noticed his awkwardness. Luckily the waiter didn't notice this awkwardness.

* * *

After the awkwardness on what to get, Naruto finally sat back in his chair, unable to finish is meal. Most of the dinner had been about school, with his sensei asking how he was going on assignments and asked if Naruto wanted help, to not be afraid to ask. Naruto's eyes wandered back to the garden as the waiter came in to collect the plates, not wanting to look them in the eye in case he got that snobbish look from them. His sensei chuckled when he noticed, but didn't ask about it.

Soon, they were left alone in silence. "Did they make you awkward?" Uchiha-sensei finally asked, refilling his wine glass.

Naruto turned his attention back, frowning. "What makes you say that?"

"Because you went all quiet when they entered. It's pretty understandable, even I feel a little awkward around them."

"Sensei, compare us for, like, five minutes. Different social classes," Naruto pointed out, resting his head on the table, looking out the window. "Who knows what they think of me."

Uchiha-sensei sighed, leaning back in the chair, swirling the glass of wine in his hands gently. "I wouldn't think much of it, Naruto. There are more important things to worry about in your life, and they're not a part of it."

Naruto closed his eyes and mumbled his reply, sighing. He could hear the sound of the fountain, its soothing sound calming Naruto. _Just a bit longer, then I'll ask to leave_, he thought with a simple smile.

They sat in silence for a moment before Uchiha-sensei spoke again. "Did anyone tell you how adorable you really are, Uzumaki-kun?" Why did that sound familiar? Naruto's head popped back up and he stared at his sensei, who had his glass to his lips.

"Huh?"

His sensei smiled and placed the empty up down on the table. "I asked, has anyone told you how adorable you really are?"

"Why are we on this topic again?"

"Why not? I'm curious to know if anyone has asked you a simple statement like that?" The smirk on his lips didn't matter the voice. His sensei wanted to know _more_ than that.

"Every now and then, a girl comments on it," Naruto admitted awkwardly, wanting to drop the topic. "It doesn't matter anyways."

"It does to me," the conversation dropped from being laughable and became somewhat serious. Naruto found his eyes falling into the depths of his sensei's, unable to pull away. His sensei then stood up, moving around the table. Naruto sat up, putting his guard up as his sensei sat down on the edge of the table, close enough to brush a strand of hair from Naruto's face.

"Sensei... you really don't care about your career, do you?" Naruto asked cautiously, flinching when his fingers brushed against his skin. "Sensei...?"

"I don't know what's wrong with me?" Uchiha-sensei said suddenly, pulling his hands away. "Maybe it's love?" Naruto wanted to laugh, seriously, he did... but he didn't. "I don't know, it's something though," Uchiha-sensei admitted, watching him carefully.

Time felt frozen for a moment as Naruto's mind went blank. He wasn't awe of anything, not even as he stood up and leaned in close, pressing his lips against his sensei's who seemed startled at the sudden movement. He couldn't think, why couldn't he think? Maybe there was nothing to think about or maybe he was just acting on a whim? Whatever it was, he was doing something he never would. It was only when he pulled back did he realise what he'd done and flushed a brilliant red. "I-I... wasn't meant to... do that..." Naruto went to move as far away as he could when his sensei pulled him back.

Their faces were centimetres apart when his sensei slipped off the table, holding him right up against his body. Naruto could feel the heat irradiating off his sensei and found himself breathing a little harder, a little deeper. He was trapped within the gaze of his sensei, unable to draw away. His sensei didn't hesitate when he moved in for another kiss, but there was a little hesitation on Naruto's behalf. On the outside, people would just assume their relationship as nothing special, but the two of them both knew that there was a dangerous factor between them. Naruto hesitated only long enough to think of what they were, they were student and teacher… but yet something had changed. What had changed between them so quickly?

Naruto clenched his eyes shut when Uchiha slipped his tongue deep into Naruto's mouth, tasting him from the inside. His legs shook at the sensation and tried to pull back, but Uchiha had placed his hand there, holding him still. Uchiha moved his body, using it to hold Naruto up since his legs were about to give way. It probably wasn't the best strategy but there was nothing else he could do for Naruto without changing positions. Right now, he was content with his position. Uchiha only pulled back enough to let Naruto take a gasp breath before pulling back into a kiss. By this stage, their statuses had slipped their minds and they were trapped in the new heated feelings.

Grasping onto his sensei's shirt, Naruto tried to pull himself a little more closer, but found the leg in between his own preventing him so he grumbled in the kiss. He wanted more of the heat for some reason. He had to be going crazy, just had to be, but was this any different between what had happened…?

Gasping, Naruto pulled his mouth away, his body trembling. What the hell was he thinking? They had to stop this…_now_! "W-we…we need to stop," Naruto choked outs, about to pull away when he was forced to look back at his sensei. Their eyes connected, and it felt like forever before his sensei pulled away, moving away from him. "S-Sensei?"

"I'm sorry, I was out of line," his sensei said, trying to breathe calmly. _No,_ this had been Naruto's fault, he was the one who kissed him first. However, Naruto didn't raise an objection, just allowed them both a moment to breathe.

A sharp pain shot through Naruto's chest, and he wasn't sure what it was, but found himself speaking anyways. "Sensei… can I come back to your place?"

His sensei turned to face him, bewildered and not certain he heard Naruto correct. He stared at Naruto for a moment before he turned fully to him, holding out his hand. "I can't guarantee something won't happen," he stated calmly, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

Naruto stared at the hand, knowing if he took it things would change, whether for better or worse, but the temptation was too sweet and his slipped his hand into his sensei, looking back up with confident eyes. "That's ok… I think I can handle it."

* * *

What was done, was done, and there was no turning back. Naruto realised how small he was compared to sensei as he pinned on the bed, lips interlocked with each other. They'd barely gotten inside when his sensei pulled him against him, locking their lips together in a long passionate kiss. They'd barely made it into the room without some sort of clothing stripped away. This was wrong, they both knew that, but it was too late to judge their choices now. They'd accepted it, and were now trapped in it.

Naruto's body trembled when he felt Uchiha's hands run up his under shirt, feeling the warm body underneath him. He found his arms wrapped around his sensei's neck before he knew it, pulling them closer. He just wanted to be able to taste his sensei more, and felt that he didn't want to let go.

What happened next threw Naruto off key when his sensei broke the kiss and buried his face against Naruto's chest. "Sensei?"

There was a light, sad laugh when his sensei looked back up, pressing his hand against Naruto's face. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice hinting with the uncertainty of their choices.

Naruto didn't need time to think of his answer and spoke softly. "I'm ok with this," he said gently, watching his sensei's face for any sign of reaction. His sensei hesitated a moment before he gently began to kiss him. Any negative thought either of them had melted away within the kiss.

Tomorrow was a new day… they'd deal with the consequences… tomorrow.

* * *

**(1) It is the same place as where they went to last time, where Naruto finally met Gaara for the first time in a while =D**

**(2) Dono means something like lord. It's very formal. (mentioned just in case you didn't know =D)**

**A/N: Nothing happens yet -.- Besides, this is T rated =D At least, for now!  
**


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N: My gift to you for my 1. lateness, and 2. lack of updating on this site =.= I have a terrible habit of not updating on this site since my DA page lives and breeds on my tabs bar on firefox. I don't rarely have this up on there, despite the link to the main page being on my bookmarks bar lol. So, because I've been terrible and HAVE NOT UPDATED THE LAST 6 CHAPTERS, I thought to do another mega update =D 6 chapters, and you're all up to date with my DA account ;) I'm such a good girl hehe. Enjoy (sorry for errors... I haven't edited any of this story yet!)**

**Only In Fiction  
**

**Chapter Seventeen**

It was warm where he lounged, but a sudden bodily urge was going to draw him from his peace. Warily opening his eyes, Sasuke stared at the roof, his mind slightly foggy. He could feel the other body next to him sleeping ever so peacefully. He turned his head, finding a smile press his lips. Things didn't go as they were meant to last night, but it didn't matter… nothing really happened between the two of them. Maybe Sasuke hadn't been ready to pull Naruto into his dangerous life, or maybe Sasuke knew deep down that Naruto wasn't ready for that kind of relationship. It didn't matter, as long as he was waking up beside Naruto for the time being, then he was perfectly content with it.

He was still trying to wrap his head around last night. Out of the blue Naruto had kissed him, but it had been as if Naruto wasn't awe of the action himself. It was just on a whim, but he liked it and had been rather impressed. …Now where were his pants? Sasuke examined the floor, trying to see for his pants without having to move. For a couple minutes – despite how unaware of it before – Sasuke could hear a buzzing noise and knew it was his phone, which was somewhere under the clothes.

_So much for staying warm,_ Sasuke thought to himself as he slipped from the bed, searching through the pile of clothes on the floor for his phone. He answered it casually, but quietly. "Uchiha Sasuke speaking."

"_Where are you?"_ the voice questioned and Sasuke cursed. He forgot he told Haruno-san to come this morning.

"Hang on a moment, I'll be there," Sasuke said quietly, hanging the phone up and pulling on his pants before slipping silently from the bedroom. He'd arrived to the entrance, finding his and Naruto's coat on the floor, and hung them up before someone stepped on them. He opened the door. "Sorry about that, I was in bed."

Haruno-san shook her head and slipped in, frowning at the two coats but ignoring it anyways. "If I'd known you'd still be in bed, _I_ would have slept in, but I want to have a look at this."

"It's just there, do you want coffee?" Sasuke asked, moving over to the kitchen.

"Coffee sounds fantastic," Haruno-san said, sitting down on the couch and pulling her pens out. "I notice you have a guest here, rather rare for you to have someone over."

Sasuke cursed inwardly but laughed it off on the outside. "Yeah, it sort of just happened out of the blue. Nothing planned, but it was late so I invited them back to my place. They're currently asleep."

"In your room?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder curiously. "Or were you in the guest room as well."

"What ever do you mean?" Sasuke asked, cursing more violently.

"You were very quiet on the phone," she shrugged, looking over the first page before her. "I just assumed that you were in the same room as them."

"Of course not," Sasuke said, handing her a cup of coffee. He took a long, deep sip of his own, sighing as the rich taste filled his mouth. Nothing could beat a nice, hot cup of coffee in the early hours of the morning.

They were silent for a moment before Haruno-san opened her mouth again. "It's that student of yours, isn't it?"

Sasuke choked on his hot coffee, not sure if he'd been about to laugh or gasp when he'd taken the sip. It took him a moment to clear his lungs of it. "Sakura, where the hell did _this_ come from?" he choked out, his voice filled with shock.

"Hyuuga-chan had a feeling something was up between the two of you, so I asked her old brother. He wouldn't tell me anything but by his attitude, I could easily guess what he was hiding." She smiled politely at him. "Don't forget Sasuke, I don't just edit fantasy and romance. I'm a mystery author's dream editor."

Sasuke grumbled rude things under his hand before he finally sat down beside her, annoyed. "I know what you're thinking. This could damage my image."

"It _could_ if people knew about it," Haruno-san agreed, taking his coffee cup from his hands and setting it down on the table next to hers. "However, as long as it remains quiet, then there's nothing wrong. I'm here to protect you, so you don't need to worry about it because I'll keep quiet. It's not like you two are actually in a sexual relationship."

_It almost could have been if…_ Sasuke nodded in agreement. "I guess that's true."

"Unless it is…" she became cautious, but Sasuke shook his head, looking dead serious as he did. She blew a sigh of relief. "I would have murdered you otherwise."

"You'd have to make a line, because I think Gaara and Neji would first," Sasuke pointed out and she laughed in her hand. "Let's not talk about this you need to look over that."

"Yeah, yeah."

* * *

There was a warm spot, but nothing to accompany it. Naruto opened his eyes slowly at the sound of rustling, staring across from where he laid. His sensei was just fixing his shirt in the mirror, and noticed Naruto eyes. He turned around with a smile and sat down on the bed, running a hand through Naruto's hair. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Mhm…" Naruto murmured, closing his eyes and sighed, liking the feel of his sensei's hands running through his hair. "I was sorta awake anyways," he mumbled in a quiet voice. "What time is it?"

"It's nine thirty," Uchiha said, glancing at his clock. "I was going to let you sleep in a bit longer, but I bet your stomachs calling for you to fill it."

"Something like that," Naruto mumbled in a content sigh. "What time did you get up?"

"About eight, my editor is here," he stated which made Naruto's eyes open cautiously to see his sensei's face. Uchiha didn't seem fussed though, so Naruto took it as a good sign. "I forgot she was coming in this morning, but she's not fussed about the situation. Anyways," he climbed off the bed and moved to the door. "I'll make something to eat. I've been putting off eating myself, which was half the reason I got up in the first place. If you want a shower, you can just through there," he pointed to the door beside the bed. "I'll find you something to wear if you want me too."

Naruto nodded slowly after a moment, before snuggling in the bed a bit more. "I'm too tired to move though."

"No rest for the wicked," he heard Uchiha joke, but when Naruto reopened his eyes to make a retort, he was already gone.

It took a long moment before Naruto managed to pull himself from the bed to the shower, the slightly chilly air rushing him into the shower. _Thank god for instant warm showers!_ He didn't rush himself while in the shower, allowing the water to run over his back and soothe his tight muscles. Nothing had happened, nothing should have changed, but there was something very different… what was different? Naruto wasn't sure what it was but nevertheless… there was something sweet about it.

When he finally forced himself out of the shower, he found his sensei had not only slipped in during the shower to leave him a towel, but had left some folded clothes on the bed for Naruto to change in, however, to top it all off was a steaming hot cup of coffee sitting on the bed side cabinet for him. It made him blush, but he pushed it away and dried himself off quickly and dressed so he didn't have to get any colder than he was.

After a moment, Naruto treaded out of the room, his pace slow as he wondered how to act. It seemed his editor knew more than Naruto would have liked her to know, but it was too late. He poked his head in first, staring at her before moved into the room. She only glanced up once, acknowledge his presence and went back to the manuscript before her. Somehow, he felt a little nervous.

"I don't bite," the woman said, making Naruto jump. She turned her attention back to him, a rather dark smile on her face. "Much."

Uchiha grumbled something under his voice, but Naruto couldn't catch it. The woman looked over the couch with an innocent smile. He moved over to them, resting his hands on the couch and looked down on her. "You're being rude."

"Not as rude as being left outside in the cold for ten minutes."

"Well I'm _sorry_," Uchiha grumbled, looking up to Naruto and pointing to the arm chair. "Take a seat, it'll be ready in a minute."

* * *

Naruto seemed very uncomfortable about this, and as a result, Sasuke shot a nasty looked at Haruno-san who smiled behind her hair that draped over her face. She was lucky Naruto couldn't see that evil smile on her lips from where he sat, but it didn't mean it made things better. "Naruto, if you like, I can drop you off home? Things get pretty boring from here on in," Sasuke said calmly after breakfast, casually sipping from his second cup of coffee.

"No, I'm interested in how this process works," Naruto replied, his voice sounding keen, but the face didn't match it. No, he really wasn't comfortable at the current moment. Sasuke sighed to himself and turned back to Haruno-san.

They began to speak about certain scenes, her face scrunching up at some, adding her inputs about things that he should focus on. When she was in the mood, Haruno-san would forget everything around her a focus on what was important. Right now, she clearly had no interest in Naruto, which made things a little easier on him as he sat and watched, wide-eyed and awe. It was like that for a few hours before her phone began to buzz. She looked at it briefly then sighed. Sasuke didn't ask as she went back to work.

He cut temptation off to ask and spoke out about something else. "Let's take a break. I think we could all do with going out for lunch." He stood up, smiling at Naruto. Naruto smiled shyly back.

Haruno-san sighed and nodded, standing up. "It's on you, however."

"Sure, that's fine."


	19. Chapter 18

**Only In Fiction  
**

**Chapter Eighteen**

There was nothing more distressing than sitting across from a woman who was – subtly – watching him from under her eyelashes as she spoke with Uchiha-sensei. Naruto had nothing against the woman, but it felt, well, awkward. He certainly did not understand what was going through that brain of hers, but he sensed danger nevertheless. It got worse when Uchiha announced he was going to the bathroom. Naruto didn't protest – it would have been suss – and watched the only thing that could save him walk off to the bathroom…

…He was on his own now. "So," the woman began, sipping from her coffee. Naruto quickly took a sip from his own, not sure what to do with himself. "You and Uchiha, huh?" The comment took a mere second to register and he started choking on his coffee. Where the hell did this come from? "I mean, I'm not surprised sensei would have an interest in men, considering the company he keeps," that meant Kakashi and Hyuuga, Naruto assumed. "But to think he's being a cradle snatcher and aim for someone… as young as you," Haruno-san said, a slight glint in her eyes. Naruto wasn't able to speak, too dumbfounded. "It's just like the characters in his books really."

"P-Pardon…?" Naruto choked first before he attempted speaking again. "Ma'am, I think you got this all wrong" Naruto said, waving his hands slightly. "Sensei and I… nothing's going on between us" _I think_. He left that last part off. "I don't understand where you're getting…" he trailed, thinking back to her last comment. "What books?" he asked, suddenly interested.

Haruno-san gasped, covering her mouth in horror before she leaned forward to speak with him quietly. "He didn't _tell_ you? Ouch, considering… well, you know."

"Know what?"

"Sensei goes by two pen names, I edit both of them. One he does for money – which is the one you've probably heard of – but the other he does out of enjoyment. Didn't you know he loved writing raunchy romances?"

_Raunchy romances?_ Naruto's mind freaked and he shook his head vigorously. "He never did. I didn't even think he could write stuff like that!"

"But of course!" Haruno-san sat back, still looking shocked. "I can't believe this, he was writing romance long before the books he comes out with now. I'd convinced him to publish these books because they're interesting, but I'd been editing his romances far longer. He's always had a passion for romance, especially-" but before she could finish, a voice cleared itself and they turned to Uchiha-sensei, looking sternly at Haruno-san.

"I would be grateful if you _shut up_ right about now."

"But why, this is an important part of your career! Besides, you two seem… acquainted enough for him to know of this," Haruno-san said in a persistent voice before a rather evil smile pressed her lips. She titled her head to the side, looking at Uchiha from the corner of her eyes. "Ah, I get it now, _sensei_. So this is why you're so inspired."

"Haruno-san," Sasuke's voice was cold and dangerous enough to make Naruto shiver, but Haruno-san wasn't effected by it. She was obviously used to it now. "I'm warning you."

"Uzumaki-kun, are you aware of a particular fandom-"

"HARUNO-SAN!"

"-Called _yaoi_ by any chance?" Haruno-san asked, ignoring Sasuke.

Naruto knew the word had some bad meaning to it – someone in his group had mentioned it once before – but he couldn't remember what it was. Somehow he got a bad feeling about this. "N-Not really. I-I heard of the word once, but-but I don't know what it is."

Haruno-san seemed disappointed, Uchiha-sensei looked grateful. "Don't worry about it, Uzumaki," Uchiha said, sitting down beside him again. "It's not important."

"If it's not important, then we can tell him-" Haruno-san started before she yelped, as she was kicked from under the table. They fell into an argument after that. "What's wrong with telling him? Does it really matter if he _knew_?"

"Of course it matters! I can't let such a thing get out about my name! It'd ruin me!"

"It would not, people are far more broadminded than they were years ago!"

"No, they're not! I don't need another reason to have my father on my back!"

"But Uzumaki-kun wouldn't tell anyone about it!"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what the hell are you getting at!"

"You just can't tell people things like this! It's a breach of confidentiality!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

Naruto was amused by the way his sensei had been blushing the whole time, and secretly pulled his phone out. Recently he'd gotten a new phone with the access to the internet, so typed it in on the search to find out what it was. He got a nasty shock when he read what it was. "Sensei?"

"WHAT?" Sasuke snapped, then apologized and tried again. "What is it, Uzumaki-kun?"

Naruto wasn't disgusted in what he read, in fact, he found himself amused and began to read off his phone. "Yaoi, also know as Boys' Love, is a popular term for female-oriented fictional media that focus on homoerotic or homoromantic male relationships, usually-" this part amused him the most "-created by female authors." Sasuke had gone pale by now, but Haruno-san was laughing loudly. "Originally referring to a specific type of dojinshi – self-published works that are parodies of mainstream anime and manga works – yaoi came to be used as a generic term for female-oriented manga, anime, dating sims, novels, dojinshi featuring idealized homosexual male relationships. The main characters in yaoi usually conform to the formula of the seme – the attacker – who pursues the uke which is the receiver." Naruto looked up, a quirky smile on his lips. "Do you want me to continue?"**(1)**

Sasuke pressed his face to the table and made a noise that sounded like a dog whine. Haruno-san continued to laugh. Once she caught her breath, she spoke to Sasuke. "I like him. Can I keep him?"

"Haruno-san… that makes you sound like a pedo."

"Oh dear," she laughed, too amused to take offense. "Uzumaki-kun, what do you think of sensei now?"

"I'm just wondering where he fits in, because he doesn't seem female to me."

"We could… always check."

Naruto went silent while Haruno-san smirked at him. "No thank you, I like being straight." The gay joke wasn't gonna work on him. "However, I'm also curious about what you said. Something about_ 'this is why you're inspired' _or something liked that."

Even Haruno-san paled a little. She cleared her throat before answering. "Just keep in mind that '_any likeness of characters, places, and situations featured in this publication to actual persons (living or deceased), events, places, and situations is purely coincidental._'2 So when I say Uchiha-sensei portrays… um… one of his _recent_ character's in a way that reminds me of you… is completely coincidental."

That went far enough. "SENSEI!" Naruto screeched when the words sunk in. "IS THAT TRUE?"

"O-Of course not! I wouldn't do such a thing to you!" Sasuke countered in panic, shooting violently glares at Haruno-san. "B-B-Besides, it's just as H-Haruno-san said! It's pu-purely coincidental! I was writing that before I meet you!"

"True, you _were_ writing the series before you met Uzumaki-kun, but there's no doubt, this character is _new_, like, last story new."

"When was that published?" Naruto yelled, turning his attention to Haruno-san.

"That's just been released; you can get it now in the stores."

That was all Naruto needed to hear before he burst out the café door.

* * *

"It's been a while since we went out together," Ino – one of Naruto's close friends – said, her voice slightly off. She was a little confused when Naruto had called up, asking about that _forbidden_ topic. "What's wrong though? You seem distressed."

Naruto shook his head, laughing it off. He sounded completely off. "I just thought we should spend time together. You know, like friends do."

"Then why did you mention the _forbidden_ topic? Don't you remember the last time we mentioned it around Kiba?" Not entirely, but Naruto nodded anyways. He knew the name was familiar somewhere, but where it was didn't strike a chord with him until now. It had been a hot summers day and they'd been at school. They'd been talking about manga and anime when Shikamaru grumbled something about Kiba's sister mentioning some word that made the group stiff. Kiba had warned Shikamaru to steer clear of the topic and his sister as well. Ino had asked what it was, and Kiba – not so willingly – explained what it was. Naruto must have been so terrified that women could think of such horrible things that he'd tuned out halfway and forgot about it.

Then again… that had been three years ago. "I know… but something happened and in the senses of fearing for my own sanity, I need to look into it" Naruto explained cautiously, then quickly add "overheard some girls whispering how I reminded them of someone in a yaoi manga and I'm just… well… you know… curious." Complete lie, but Ino was convinced.

"Do you know the title?"

"Nope…"

"The author?"

He knew the author, but the pen name… "nope."

Ino groaned. "Alright, let's start looking." Thankfully the book store was quiet, and the _yaoi_ section was at the back, hidden from the rest. Naruto also quickly discovered the opposite genre to yaoi was yuri… or girls love. The minute Ino saw it she went dead pale. Naruto did feel a little sorry… then questioned to himself how the hell two girls had sex anyways! "I don't want to think about it" was Ino's reply when he asked himself aloud. Naruto didn't stand near it, pretending to look through different books while Ino searched through the yaoi books. "It would be useful to know what the hell I'm looking for" Ino muttered, unable to conceal her blushing as she picked up one book then another. "I never realised…" she began, flipping pages open "how graphic these are."

"And Kiba's sister like's them," Naruto said, turned to her and shrinking back when she opened to a page not quite appropriate. He turned away before he embarrassed himself more.

Ino continued her search until she came across a novel. "Nanahara Risa?"**(3)** She mumbled, flipping the back and forward. She frowned then turned around, waving the novel in the air. "Hey Naruto, check this out!" she said, grabbing his attention. She slipped up next to him to show him the novel cover. _Striking match!_ Naruto stared at the cover a little longer, trying to breathe. "What's even weirder is that the other looks like Uchiha-sensei."

He turned murderous… and only saw red.

* * *

Sasuke stared down at his feet, head in his hands. He had the strangest of feelings that something dangerous was heading his way, and he felt sick just thinking about it. "Haruno-san, I think I'm going to murder you."

"It was going to happen eventually, Sasuke" Haruno-san said with a shrug then a smile. "You do have your own personal collection hidden in you office. It was a matter of time before he stumbled across it."

Sasuke just grumbled a few curses under his breath. He hadn't even considered the danger of Naruto stumbling across that, even after Naruto had begun reading his work. Of course, Naruto hadn't been so shocked when he first discovered Sasuke's _other form_ of writing, only when it was mentioned the other character had a striking resemblance to Naruto.

Of course, if you looked at any of his work in that genre you'd notice how similar characters were in personality wise, despite drastic appearance changes. "It doesn't matter. It's not like he's going to shout from the roof tops that you writing yaoi. He'll just rage about it and hate your guts for the rest of your life, but h wouldn't do anything _that_ damaging to your career."

He hoped not. Glancing cautiously towards the door, Sasuke wondered if Naruto was going to come back and rage about it, but just as the thought crossed, his phone rang. Picking the small piece of technology off the table, Sasuke answered in a cautious tone. "Uchiha spe-" he didn't even finish when a voice yelled at him.

"_OF ALL THE THINGS TO DO, YOU HAD TO DO __**THAT**__!"_ The voice was panicked and annoyed, but it didn't sound as angry as he expect.

"Naruto, calm down-"

"_CALM DOWN! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! EVEN INO NOTICED THE APPEARANCES ON THE COVER!"_

"Why was Yamanaka-chan with you anyways?" Sasuke asked, seemingly worried. He actually hadn't seen the cover of his recent work, so he didn't realise how the characters were drawn. Sure, he wrote their appearances out, but that was as far as he got (not to mention he wasn't even thinking about it when he was writing the novel in the first instance!)

"_Like hell I was going to walk in and look through the yaoi section, asshole!"_ Naruto snapped back over the phone, stomping along. _"Why the hell are you writing me in filthy smut anyways!"_

"It's not you!" Sasuke growled back, glaring at Haruno-san as she laughed into her hand. "Where the hell does it even state your _name_, idiot!" Naruto didn't answer that, which clearly pointed out Sasuke was right there. No, Sasuke had _not_ used their names, nothing even relatively _close_ to their names. Besides, it was a different story all together."

"_Sensei, is your pen name Nanahara Risa by anyway chance?"_

"Yeah…" Sasuke had to think about it for a second. "Why?"

"_Nothing. I'm going now, I need to speak to an expert on this topic and see if there's more than this novel you've abused me in!"_

"It's not you!" Sasuke growled out, hating the fact he was just repeating himself. "Get your ass over here, Uzumaki. Let's not talk about this on the phone…" Sasuke went silent when he thought about Naruto's state. "Who are you seeing, anyways?"

"_Kiba's older sister."_ And the phone line went dead.

* * *

"You want to talk to my sister about the _forbidden topic_?" Kiba demanded as they headed towards the bedroom at the end of the corridor. Naruto was realived he'd dropped his damned accent now, since it only just shitted him off more. "Are you mad?"

"I might be," Naruto agreed when they came to a stop and knocked on the door. The loud music playing in the room went quiet as the door opened. Kiba's sister was rather tall (taller than Naruto at least) and no matter how often they met, Naruto felt overpowered by her. "Hana-nee-chan,"**(4)** Naruto greeted her with a smile. If there was one thing Naruto liked better about Hana over Kiba, it was her kind personality… and even-temper over things.

"Naruto?" Hana glanced her brother out of curiosity before smiling at Naruto. "What brings you here?"

"He wants to talk to you about the forbidden topic," Kiba grumbled slightly, following the two in when Hana told them to enter the room. "He's curious about something."

"When you call it that name, Kiba, I have no clue what you're talking about," Hana replied, sitting down at the small table in the centre. Her university books lay across the table (it seemed she was studying hard as usual) but she picked them up to clear space.

"Yaoi," Naruto confirmed, much to Kiba's shudder and Hana's shocked face. "Do you know an author called Nanahara Risa, by any chance?"

"Yeah, she's pretty popular amongst the yaoi fans. Heard her latest work was released but I haven't read it yet," Hana replied, looking a little worried. "Why are you asking?"

Naruto – after paying Ino back – had collected the book to show Hana, much to his own disapproval. When he whipped it out from his bag, both stared at him, then the book then him again. His face flushed a beet red. "Is it me, or does he look just like you?" Kiba asked, staring at Naruto.

"He does," Naruto agreed, handing the book to Hana. "I know who wrote it too."

"Who?" both asked, Hana looking gleeful to finally know the author while Kiba asked out of sheer shock.

"Promise me not to tell anyone because I'll be murdered."

"What said between us, will stay in this room between us," Hana promised, understanding Naruto's concern.

Naruto shifted uneasily and took a deep breath. "Uchiha Sasuke," he admitted, book looking horrified.

"SENSEI WRITES GAY PORN!" Kiba hollered, only to be shushed by both his sister and Naruto.

"I only discovered this myself, actually," Naruto admitted as Hana opened the novel up. "I didn't read it I just got Ino to buy it so I could show you. You can keep the novel, I don't want it," he added at the end.

"I can understand more about this now," Hana replied with a smile. "The writing is similar to Uchiha-sensei's work, but he's done well to hide it. It's not as bad as you think, Naruto. His work under this author can be pretty intense, but he's taken good care of this. You're fretting over nothing. Besides, whoever did the art work was only trying to get a basis of the characters. It's just coincidental that they turned out the way they did. Uchiha-sensei isn't targeting you, because there are things about the characters that are different. Feature wise, he looks rather feminine to be anything like you," she showed him a page, to prove her point. There were odd piece of artwork by the artist in the novel. "Not to mention the hair style is slightly different shape and colour. Besides, it states in the disclaimer-"

"I know," Naruto said with a sigh, feeling just a little bit better than before. "It was just a shock."

Hana smiled an understanding smile, patting him on the head. "Authors get their inspiration from anywhere, Naruto. However, they don't target people to humiliate them. It's just coincidental that it happened that way. So calm down, and relax." She flipped through the book again. "Besides, are you sure Uchiha-sensei wrote this?"

"I asked him about it, he confirmed it," Naruto replied with a sigh. "As long as there is not smut, I'm cool."

"Naruto, this is yaoi," Hana laughed, putting the book down. "There is always smut in it."

Naruto groaned, so did Kiba. "I pity you, mate. That's gotta be rough if he wrote a character like you in his novel."

"Don't be," Hana laughed gently before standing up. "It doesn't look as bad as the rest of his work. Some of it is pretty full on, but it's just the one novel, and I doubt there's room to grow in the novel. From what I see of it, it ends with a conclusion that doesn't need to be elaborated in a squeal." She headed to the door. "Do you both want coffee? I'll make some and we'll talk more about it when I get back."

Hana left the room to the boys who stared at the book. "I'm actually… curious to read it," Kiba spoke after a moment, much to Naruto's shock.

"Where's the homophobia gone, Kiba?" Naruto asked, astonished. "I thought you had aversion to it."

"It's not homophobia mate, because I can handle the girl on girl action, it's just… the thought of two guys doing it confuses me… and shocks me. But it can't be too bad right? Hana said it doesn't look as intense as others so it might be… tolerable."

Kiba had a point. Naruto picked the novel up and looked at it. Was it him just overreacting? After all… hadn't he and sensei kissed a few times? Of course, they'd never got to the next step (sensei had avoided that in the end) but was it just because he was shocked about this kind of thing? Of course, he hadn't told Kiba about what had happened between the two because he was scared that sensei would get in trouble… but didn't he care for sensei anyways? "Kiba?"

"Yeah?"

"…I'm not a hundred percent with myself about this, but I've got an confession to make."

"What is it? I'm all ears?"

Naruto shifted a little, feeling uneasy with himself. "… I think I'm falling in love with sensei…"

Kiba was silent for a _very_ long moment then sighed. Naruto's mind went into panic mode, not sure what to make of it. "I thought it was funny… the way he was acting, but I'm surprised that you've even thought about this."

"What are you talking about."

"I noticed that sensei was treating you differently after those lessons, but I didn't think of any reasons for it… but now you said this it just confirms what I've been thinking about over time," Kiba crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "So… sensei huh?"

"…Are you… angry?"

"Hell yeah," Kiba replied, not sounding so. He scratched his cheek and finally looked at Naruto. "Actually, I have confession myself."

"Huh?"

"…Hana actually already knows why I call this the forbidden topic, and the fact is, I've been lying to myself since I meet you, but… there's something I've been wanting to tell you since then." Kiba was now very close to Naruto. "Naruto… I'm-"

Just before Kiba could finish the sentence Naruto's phone began to buzz, cutting him off. Naruto quickly opened the phone, staring at the message. "It's Ino."

"Oh… what does it say?" Kiba sounded annoyed now.

"She was just asking about the book. She wants to know if I'm over the shock of it now."

"Are you?"

"Yeah," Naruto replied weakly, texting her back. Kiba went to open his mouth again to speak when his sister returned with the coffee. Naruto spent the rest of the afternoon wondering what Kiba was going to say, but never got a chance to ask as he watched Kiba, later than night, leave for his night shift at work.

* * *

"I didn't think you were going to come back," Sasuke asked weakly, watching Naruto carefully. Something was bothering him, but it wasn't the book, they'd confirmed that already. Of course, he too had something he was worrying about at the moment. "What's wrong?"

"It's Kiba… something's wrong with him."

"Wrong as in…?"

"I don't know, he got all serious, saying he had something to say, but he never got to tell me it, and when I messaged him before getting here, he told me not to worry about it." Naruto sighed, frustrated. "He's not the type to keep secrets like that from me. He tells me everything, I mean, we've been mates since primary school. We know everything about each other… or at least I thought we did."

"You're worried he's up to no good?" Sasuke asked, crossing one leg over the other.

"No… it's not that… it's just… I don't know…" Naruto sighed, flopping down on the couch. He laid there for a moment then glanced at his sensei. "Sensei… is something wrong?"

Sasuke frown then shook his head. "No, it's just… there was something on the news that's concerning me. Nothing important."

"It's your father… isn't it?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto and nodded. "Yeah, I guess it is."

* * *

**(1) Good old Wikipedia xD**

**(2) Good old Tyrant xDD. I got that from the disclaimer in volume 2 xD I thought it was funny to add that.**

**(3) 七原 Nanahara (seven fields) 里沙 Risa (village of sand).**

**(4) Naruto calls Hana "nee-chan" because how close they are.**


	20. Chapter 19

**Only In Fiction  
**

**Chapter Nineteen**

No matter how many times Naruto approached Kiba about what he was going to say the other night, Kiba cleverly avoiding talking about it. Now, sitting in Language, Naruto found himself staring at Kiba from the corner of his eye, trying to work out what was on his mind. Of course, it wasn't just Kiba that worried him either, but his sensei as well. Sasuke was clever at hiding his own feelings, but last night left Naruto feeling trapped.

Sasuke's father had been on the news about a good matter, actually. The Uchiha Empire was blooming quite well, but it still concerned Sasuke. Was he going to force Sasuke back home, or worse, attack Sasuke again? Sasuke told Naruto not to worry, that his brother was keeping an eye on his father's movements, but Naruto still worried about said sensei. Of course, sensei was meeting with his brother during his lunch break every day since that night, so he was under the care of his brother too.

Kindly enough, Sasuke told Naruto to worry about Kiba, since he was Naruto best friend. So, he threw away his worry for his sensei and focused on how to get what he wanted out of his friend. He wasn't sleep well because he was curious and worried about what it was, but was determined, after a week long without knowing, that today hew as going to get an answer from Kiba by all means possible!

* * *

Naruto had abandoned class early due to being called out of the class room by a staff member, so Kiba felt relieved about not facing him just yet. However, he came face to face with Uchiha-sensei after class. He'd packed a little slower than normal, since he too wanted to speak to said sensei. "Inuzuka-kun" Uchiha said gently, moving over to him. "Is there something bothering you lately? I've noticed you and Uzumaki-kun aren't communicating like normal."

Had Naruto told him about this? That made thing harder for him. Kiba shrugged, turning to face his sensei. "Nothing's wrong, sensei." He lied, wanting to see his sensei's reacting to that.

"I see," Uchiha replied, moving back to his desk. "If there's a problem, I'm sure you can talk to a staff member about it, or just confront Uzumaki-kun. I'm sure he'll be grateful for it."

So, he did know. "Sensei, how close are you to Naruto?"

The question didn't surprise him, much to Kiba's disappointment. "Well, he was quite a trouble maker in the early days, but he's come around and focused hard on his studies, so I find him quite tolerable, why do you ask?"

"Because you're in love with him, aren't you?"

Once again, there was no shock. "I thought you'd pick up the signs, being his closest friend and all."

"Yeah, he can't hide much from me."

"And may I ask about your feelings?"

Kiba was startled, stared at his sensei then turned away. "Naruto's my best mate, so I want to protect him."

"Is that really all there is to it, or are you just covering up the truth."

Kiba turned an angry eye to his sensei, speaking hotly. "Are you assuming something there sensei?"

"Of course not, I just find it funny how you go all lengths to corner him like you did, begin something and never finish. It's distressed him a lot, and I don't think he's sleeping well over it. So lets be truthful here, is Naruto more to you?"

Uchiha called Naruto by his first name, which shitted Kiba off. "Just because your gay doesn't make me that way either! I don't want someone like you near Naruto because to be truthful, it's your fault this shit started anyways. The prank caller, he only started when he noticed you and Naruto had a connection. Then it turns out to be your past student! Not to mention you make Naruto worried over you because you can't take care of yourself. Aren't you just holding onto Naruto so you can use him as an escape! That's just not fair on him! And then you confuse him enough to make him think he has feelings for you! What kind of sick bastard comes onto his student _anyways_? It's just not right!"

Kiba noticed how his words hit Uchiha, but didn't care about it. "Is that all you have to say?" Uchiha asks his voice slightly unsteady. "Have you had enough, or would you like to know the facts about what is going on between us?"

"Quite frankly, I don't give a damn. I want you to stop using Naruto as an escape. And don't tell me I know nothing because I know more than you think. If you hadn't noticed, my sister has connections to your brother, so I know plenty of the shit that goes on in your family." That came to a surprise for Uchiha, since he probably didn't know Hana knew his older brother Itachi. "So I warn you Uchiha, stay the hell away from Naruto, and stop using him for your sick, perverted ideas. I mean, what kind of teacher shoves his student in a gay novel in the first place?"

Now Uchiha's face was going pale. Kiba knew more than Uchiha-sensei had expected, and felt quite comfortable with the sudden power over the situation. They were silent then Uchiha spoke. "I'm not using Naruto. In fact, I'm not doing anything with him. You've clearly misjudge things here."

"I haven't misjudged-"

"The boy in the novel isn't Naruto. I'd never do that to him, Naruto knows that, understand that. Naruto thinks he loves me, and that I'm not surprised with because he knows my feelings for him." Kiba felt his heart drop a little. "I am in love with Naruto, and I know that isn't right. We both know, and I'm doing my best to keep it away from that. Naruto comes to associate a lot with me lately as well. It's out of respect for each other, and no, I'm not using him as my escape. I refuse to get him meddled up in my problems. He knows this too, and respects my wishes for him to stay out of it."

Kiba clenched his fists tightly, his heart slightly sore. How could Naruto fall in love with his sensei in the first place, and how could Uchiha sleep with himself knowing his own damn feelings? No, Kiba was going to put a stop to this nonsense right now! "Sensei, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Uchiha-sensei spoke calmly.

Kiba moved away from his desk and approached his sensei, stopping just in front of him. He knew if Naruto found this out it was kill him, but Kiba didn't want Naruto to be hurt by this man again. Naruto was his best mate… someone important to him. He didn't want Naruto to cross the wrath of Uchiha-sensei's father, so this was the only way to stop him. "Sensei," Kiba looked up straight into his sensei's eyes before grabbing his collar, pulling him closer. "Sensei, I'm in love with you! I've been in love with you since the day I meet you!"

Just as the words left his mouth, there was a noise and Kiba felt the blood drain from his face. He looked just as his sensei did, staring at the door. Standing there was the last person Kiba wanted to face…

* * *

Im-Impossible! No, this couldn't be the reason, there was just no way… Staring ahead of him, Naruto could no longer see the classroom or the corridor any more, all he saw was Kiba… and Sasuke… Pain laced his heart and found it hard to breath. _H-How could this be…?_ Naruto questioned, taking a step backwards. Kiba quickly let go of Sasuke, his own face panicked. "N-Naruto! T-This isn't what-"

"You knew… yet you went ahead with it anyways…" Naruto didn't realise he was talking. "You knew my feelings but still went ahead with your plan…." Tears filled his eyes and he looked to the ground, a burning sensation racing through his heart. "I-I thought…"

"Naruto! Your-your mistaken!"

"How can I be… it's right here in front of me…" he had to stop talking, he just had to. There had to be an explanation for this. Surely Kiba would tell him everything if he asked, but suddenly… he felt very betrayed. He raised his hand to his heart without realising, clenching his shirt just above it. "I-I thought…I thought us being mates meant we could tell each other things like this."

"N-Naruto! Let me explain-"

"I'm sorry, I should have knock. I-I'm sorry to-to have disturbed you two." Why was Sasuke saying anything? W-Why was it just him that was in pain? Didn't sensei…didn't he care. "I-I'll go now," Naruto said, not waiting for an answer as he raced down the corridors. He ignored Kiba's calls and just kept running.

* * *

No! This wasn't meant to happen, not like this, no! Kiba stared down the corridor, not sure what to do now. He'd just hurt Naruto, something he wasn't aiming to do at all. Why did Naruto have to return at that moment? Why did he have to! "I think you took your joke too far," sensei said, packing his bag up. "If you really had been his friend you wouldn't have attacked him that low, but you did.

No, he wasn't meant to hurt Naruto! "W-Why didn't you say anything to him."

"Why should I, it's not my problem."

"HOW FUCKING LOW ARE YOU" Kiba turned around, screaming at Uchiha.

"Not as low as you." the words burned, but Kiba knew he was right. He was the worst. "If you cared for Naruto that much, you wouldn't have done what you just did," and with his comment, Uchiha-sensei left the class room, leaving Kiba standing there questioning his own stupidity.

He was truly worthless…


	21. Chapter 20

**Only In Fiction  
**

**Chapter Twenty**

The school bell screeched at the end of the day, signalling the students off to their after school activities or that it was time to go home for others. It also signalled another day where Uchiha-sensei _and_ Kiba hadn't returned. He was doing his best not to let it bother him as he made his way towards the main gate, but no matter how much he tried, he was still getting worked up over it. He was so worked up about it he failed to notice the person who was approaching only until they stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.

The motion startled him enough to quickly whip his head up, but relaxed when he noticed the worried gaze. The voice didn't give anything away. "Yo," the man said.

"Gaara-onii-chan," Naruto felt relieved for a moment, then curious to why Gaara had turned up at the school anyways. "Why are you here? Are you here to see Hyuuga-sensei?"

Gaara thought about it for a moment then shook his head. "Actually, I'm here to see you. Neji told me something was bothering you, not to mention Sasuke's disappeared from the school grounds. He was wondering if something happened." Something did happen, but with all the students around them, it was probably best to talk in private. Naruto didn't need to say that though, with the motion of looking around him, Gaara instantly picked up the thoughts. "Let's go back to my place, where we can talk in private."

* * *

To be utterly truthful, Naruto had _never_ been to Gaara's place (probably because he didn't want to run into Hyuuga-sensei any more than he did), so when he arrived he sort of felt disappointed in the place. Hyuuga-sensei came from a wealthy family while Gaara wasn't since he grew up in the Orphanage his whole life. In some ways, the apartment Gaara and Hyuuga-sensei shared was in the middle of being aristocratic and working-class alike. The apartment was – Naruto admitted – massive and spacious, but not overly overbearing like Sasuke's house.

Sitting in the dinning space, across from the kitchen, Naruto found himself staring out the glass windows to the balcony, wondering how high they were, and beginning to feel uncomfortable over it. Maybe he just wasn't good with heights after all.

"Now," Gaara spoke out, startling Naruto. Gaara sat down across from him, having place a hot cup of chocolate in front of Naruto beforehand. "What's happening between you and Sasuke at the moment?"

Naruto took a sip of the hot chocolate, debating what to say to his brother. "Well..." Naruto began, feeling a little nervous. "I don't exactly know where to start, believe it or not. It sorta... it sorta just happened out of the blue."

"Start a few days before everything went wrong," Gaara said calmly, watching him with a steady gaze.

A few days before? Probably the best place to start was when Naruto discovered... "Um... well, I found out that sensei writes... um... yaoi a few days before everything went wrong." He noticed Gaara began choking on his coffee, and felt awkward. Maybe he didn't know about that?

"I see..." Gaara said, coughing into his hand. "I see how things got out of hand," he said once his throat was cleared. "You... haven't mentioned this to Neji by any chance?" Like Naruto was going to talk to Hyuuga-sensei about _that_? Naruto just shook his head, to Gaara's relief. "Keep this a secret from Neji, he'll murder Sasuke and Hinata."

Why would Hinata...? Actually, Naruto didn't want to think about it. "Anyways, this is where the things started to get a little sticky. I... I confronted a friend's sister about an issue that involved Sa-Uchiha-sensei. Um... I noticed how the cover of the _recent_ novel Sasuke wrote for that genre looked a little... um... suspicious. So I confronted her, and she reassured me it was coincidental. So there was no problem, but at that stage, my friend started to say something and... well, then this situation happened."

"That's not a really clear explanation," Gaara pointed out, but what was I to say?

"M-My friend told Uchiha-sensei that he liked him!" Naruto blurted out, which made Gaara choke on his coffee again.

"_Pardon_?"

"H-He said h-he loved U-Uchiha-sensei," Naruto stuttered, a little afraid of the murderous intent.

"What the hell? Is this why everything is screwed up?"

"Pretty much," Naruto muttered, looking away.

"Well... that's petty," Gaara grumbled, crossing his arms, annoyed. "And did Sasuke say anything about it?"

"No... he didn't," which was why he was hurt most of all.

"I see..." Gaara stood up and moved towards the window, resting on it slightly. He was quiet as he overlooked the city before sighing. "Naruto, I don't know what to think, to be truthful. Maybe there is some reason you're overlooking when it comes to this situation. Maybe Sasuke didn't think this was so serious... but give it a little while. If Sasuke or your friend doesn't turn up, go looking. I'll ask Neji if he knows anything about Sasuke's whereabouts."

"Just... don't give it away that it involves me," Naruto quickly added in a plea, since he really didn't want Neji involved in this.

"I'll do my best."

* * *

Two weeks passed before Naruto knew it, but he didn't care. Kiba hadn't come to school and nor did his sensei. Naruto only went because he had to, but he noticed that the two weren't there. It just made the pain worse than it was. Where were they? Naruto thought over what he heard Kiba say, though it over the two weeks and come to accept it. So what if Kiba liked sensei too. Naruto knew Sasuke's feelings, knew Sasuke was only interested in him, so he would have brushed off Kiba… but yet… sensei wasn't here.

"Kakashi-sensei, have you heard from Sasuke?" Naruto asked Kakashi later that week, feeling a little worried.

Kakashi thought about it and then nodded. "His brother dragged him off somewhere a few weeks ago. He's been with him the last two weeks, and has called in sick-leave. Why?"

No, there was a plausible reason which settled his heart. "What about Kiba… do you know if his mother's called in about him?"

"Mhm, his mother called in to say he was quite sick, I thought you'd know because the two of you are like bum-buddies. Did something happen?"

Sasuke hadn't told Kakashi about it, clearly he didn't want outside interference. "No reason, I was just a little worried."

Lies, he was beyond worried… especially for Kiba.

* * *

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Hana asked later that afternoon when she opened to door. "Is something wrong?"

Naruto nodded as he spoke. "Is Kiba here, I want to talk to him."

Hana shook her head but let in Naruto anyways. "He's been pretty down, and hasn't been home the last two weeks. He's crashed at our aunts place, and no matter how much mum pleads, he just isn't coming home."

That was a worry, but at least he knew where he was. Hana took him into the kitchen and made him a hot drink each.

"Can you tell me what happened? Kiba refused to talk, so we don't know what's wrong with him."

Where was he going to start? "I-It's my fault, nee-chan. I think… I shouldn't have told him anything because it's destroyed our friendship."

"What happened," Hana asked softly, her eyes pleading. "What did you say?"

"I told him I had feelings for Uchiha-sensei… and then I caught him confessing to sensei that he liked him too…"

Hana almost laughed, startling Naruto. "Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Kiba doesn't like Uchiha-sensei. Naruto, he's mad about _you_."

Naruto stared at her. The words flew right past him. "Huh?"

"Kiba told me that he loves you."

Kiba's earlier words floated back into his mind _"…Hana actually already knows…"_ Hana already knew Kiba's feelings and kept quiet about it. Naruto stared into the hot mug for a while, letting the words sink in. "Then… why?"

"I have no clue," Hana replied then got up. "Look, I'll get Kiba over here. We'll sort this mess out." Naruto watched Hana for a moment as she picked up the phone and dialled a number. She spoke to the person on the other end and asked for Kiba. Her face suddenly filled up with annoyance then spoke. "KIBA, YOU FUCKING RETARD. NARUTO'S SUICIDAL, GET YOU ASS HOME, _**QUICKLY**_!" and hung up. Naruto's mouth dropped, but closed it before she turned back. "He'll be here in a moment."

"I'm apparently suicidal now?" he asked, finally cracking a smile.

"It'll work, trust me. Kiba will freak, come home and demand answers, then he'll see you and have no choice but to fix things." Hana winked at him. "I'm his loving big sister after all. I've got to help him with his problems too."

* * *

It was ten minutes later when the door slammed open and Kiba's voice filled with panic called out. "Hana, where are you? What are you talking about?" he called, kicking his shoes off.

"In the kitchen!" She called, her voice all upset. Kiba hesitated for a second before he race through the house, storming into the kitchen then stopped dead in his tracks. The first person he saw when he entered wasn't his sister, but Naruto. Hana sat there drinking her coffee, completely calm. "Welcome home, Kiba. Haven't seen you in two weeks and you've made mum utterly worried about you, but now you're home, we can sort this out."

Hana's words went over his head as he and Naruto stared at each other. Kiba as pretty determined not to face Naruto at all, even planned to drop out of school because of it, but now Naruto was here, and he didn't know what to do. Instead, he turned all his attention on Hana, getting angry. "You sick bitch, pulling a stunt like that!"

"It works, it just like saying there's a fire to get you out of bed. Scares the living shit out of you, but it gets you moving faster than time itself," Hana shrugged, clearly not fussed. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. So, now that you're here, you and Naruto can talk about this problem your both having." Hana got up to leave. "I'm not going to intrude, so you two just talk about it. I'll be back later," and with that, she just left. Kiba didn't raise a argument with her, but instead sat down across from Naruto.

Awkward silence past between the two of them for a long moment before Kiba spoke out. "Naruto… I'm sorry."

"I know," Naruto said quietly, running a hand through his hair. "Hana told me, so I know you weren't trying to hurt me."

Of course Hana told him, it made perfect sense. "Really, I didn't target you or anything. I just… I didn't want you caught up with Uchiha. I know what kind of shit he goes through, with his father and all, because Itachi, Uchiha's brother, is Hana's ex boyfriend and they talk about this stuff all the time. Even though they broke up, they're still talk about this kind of stuff, so I know everything. Even sensei was shocked when I told him I knew. I just wanted to protect you from it all. His father's a loony, Naruto. Completely fucked in the head! I was scared for you, really scared. What would I do if his father found out about you? You could get killed!"

"I know," Naruto said, moving the cup around in his hands. "But… I've seen something about sensei that worries me. I've really come to care for him, Kiba, so I'm well aware of his father… and Orochimaru."

Kiba tensed at the name and bowed his head. Of course… Of course Uchiha would have said something. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's ok. Sure, I'm upset, but it's cool. You're forgiven." Naruto looked up then smiled. "Kiba, what were you trying to say that day when I came over? I'd like to know."

"But you already know, Hana told you."

"I'd prefer you to tell me."

Kiba looked away, took a deep breath and spoke. "I'm in love with you, mate. I guess… I was just jealous of you."

Naruto laughed, startling him. "Sensei said he was jealous of you, but he didn't say why. I guess he already knew your feelings."

The bastard already did? Kiba wasn't impressed but he left that alone. "And what about you, Naruto, what do you think about me?"

Now it was awkward, Naruto wiggled in his chair as he hesitated as he replied. "I can't, Kiba. I'm sorry."

No… he didn't need to be. Kiba should have already known. "It's ok, mate, its ok."

* * *

Kiba had returned later that week once he sorted out the issue with his mother and sister (_"I thought you were being bullied by some big old mean person! Oh, my poor baby,"_) but when he returned, Naruto didn't even catch a glance of him around the school until later that Wednesday afternoon, during lunch break.

Happily eating their lunch, Naruto and his friends didn't expect anything to go wrong until one of their _kohai_ ran until the cafeteria, looking for Naruto. "Uzumaki-senpai, is Uzumaki-senpai here?" Man he was going to be missed being called _senpai_. Looking up from his lunch, he spotted the kid in search of him.

"Mhm, is there a problem?" he asked as the boy approached, looking slightly exhausted.

"I-It's Inuzuka-senpai. He and Uchiha-sensei are having an intense conversation, but I thought to tell you since you two are friends."

The boy barely had time to finish when Sasuke's name was mentioned. Naruto quickly thanked the boy and left the cafeteria despite his friend's calls. He didn't have to go far to discover where they were. Standing outside – near the school car park – was sure enough the two in question. Both seemed tensed, but reasonably calm as they spoke. It was time for Naruto to investigate.

* * *

Sasuke could name a hundred better things to do right now, but unfortunately for him, he was a teacher and therefore, had to listen to his students when they needed help… well, this wasn't quite like that. However, Inuzuka-kun had approached him and asked to talk to him _privately_, so here he was face to face with the boy in question (instead of enjoying his lunch break). Kiba hadn't really said anything, instead he seemed to be debating on what to say, he'd opened his mouth to speak a few times, and then closed it, thought for a moment, then repeated the process…

…Really, this was getting ridiculous. "I thought you had something to say?" Sasuke said, feeling annoyed that the raven haired boy was taking he sweet time. "If you don't have anything to say, then I'm leaving."

"W-Wait a moment!" Sasuke hadn't even moved when Kiba spoke out, looking a little annoyed himself. "This is hard to say you know, and it takes time to think the words through."

"What, are you confessing your love for me _again_?" Sasuke wasn't trying to be mean, honest.

Kiba's brow twitched with annoyance and he snapped out his reply to that. "Of course not! This has nothing to do with that bullshit." Then he went silent, still trying to work out what he was going to say. At that moment, Sasuke realised they weren't alone. He had to end their conversation now!

"Inuzuka-kun, as much as what you're going to say interests me, my breaks are short, and you're-"

"I want you to keep away from Naruto!" Kiba's words were intense, startling Sasuke a little.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! I think you're a bad influence on him, and I don't want him to be corrupted anymore than he is!" Kiba stated his feelings loud and clear.

"And does this have to do with you liking him?"

Kiba blushed and snapped out "Of course not! I know it's hopeless between us and we're already agreed to pretend that never happened so we could still be friends. What I'm trying to get at is that you're bad influence on Naruto, and one day, he's going to end up as screwed up in the head as you."

"And where did this come about."

"You're smutty, gay books about _you_ and _him_," Kiba countered angrily.

Really, why did no one listen to him about that? "Am I a broken record or something? It's not Naruto in the god damn book!"

"Oh really? I bet you have nasty little dreams about him, you pervert."

Now that was a low blow in the guts. Sasuke strained when he smiled at him. "Oh sure, am I not the only one?" Kiba's nasty red blush convinced him. "Now who's the pervert?"

"I-I would never have wet dreams about my best friend."

"And I'd never have _wet dreams_ about my student. Since we both understand this, let's leave it at that."

"No! Not until you promise-"

"Inuzuka-kun!" Sasuke was now very angry at the boy, despite knowing where he was coming from. "I understand you're worried about him, but this is a choice only _Naruto_ can make, whether you like it or not. I'm not going to stop him if he wants to continue a relationship that's more _in-depth_ that student and teacher, nor am I going to complain if he decides to move on. It doesn't play any role in your life, nor is it your business, so drop it here and don't approach this topic again."

He had to remain calm, he just had to! Kiba took the words in then finally sighed, realising he wasn't going to win. "Just to let you know, I haven't, in fact, given up all hope yet. In fact-" he pointed his finger at Sasuke, who flinched at the motion "-you are now my enemy, Uchiha-sensei! I will not give up Naruto to the likes of you!" And with that comment, he stormed off cursing about things that Sasuke really didn't have much interest in.

He waited a moment before speaking to the intruder he sensed moments ago. "Naruto, you can come out now," Sasuke said, looking in the direction the blonde teen slipped from, looking a little concerned. "He'll get over it in time."

"That's not why I'm worried," Naruto admitted nervously. "He's trying to make an enemy out of you. Doesn't that worry you?"

"No, why should it?"

Naruto frowned then turned to him, debating about something before he spoke. "Sensei… I'm going to England for a while." Now Sasuke was truly overwhelmed. "Not forever, just for a little while, at the end of High School, after exams. I got a call from Jiraiya and…well… he wants me over there. He was going to come back earlier, but he didn't feel like he could handle transport like planes and whatnot, so I agreed to go over there for a little while. I don't know if I'll be back before University though…" he trailed for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. Out of the blue, he began to laugh weakly. "Jeez, University, huh? It's kinda a scary thought."

"It normally is a daunting thought at first," Sasuke replied, slightly disheartened. However, it didn't matter, since Jiraiya was far more important to Naruto at the moment. "How has be been since the accident?"

"He's almost recovered, but it's taken a while. He ran into an old apprentice while in England and has had his company for a while. I'm kinda looking forward to seeing my god father again, since I've missed him a lot." Yeah, Sasuke knew that. They were silent for a moment before Naruto dared to speak out again. "Sensei… I'm sorry."

It took Sasuke a moment for the words to register. "Sorry about what?"

Naruto didn't reply, and only shrugged, leaving their conversation there.

It was the last time Sasuke had a decent conversation with Naruto, since graduation and final exams came on top of them before they knew it. There was little time spent of pondering on what was going to happen in the future until Sasuke saw Naruto bidding goodbye to his friends on the day he was going to catch the plane. It only dawned on Sasuke that afternoon that Naruto had meant something when he apologized…

…But what was the meaning behind the simple two words?

* * *

**A/N: The next chapter is a extra scene that happens before Naruto leave. It's nothing fancy really =D But I hope you like it!**


	22. EXTRA Between the Black Lines

**A/N: This is based before Naruto goes to England but after he finds out about the whole "yaoi" thing (it sorta just squeezes in there haha).**

* * *

**Only In Fiction**

**EXTRA CHAPTER**

**Between the Black Lines**

For someone whose office was rather tidy at school, seeing the study of his sensei's almost caused him to faint on the spot. Naruto swore that there were more books here in his sensei's study rather than in the local library (of course, if this was possible, then his sensei would be living in a _bigger_ house.)

Uzumaki Naruto, a senior graduate, was meant to be preparing to leave for England, but had wandered over to his sensei's place after hearing about the "spring cleaning" he sensei was currently doing. Not that Naruto _intended_ to help of course. "Sensei," Naruto began after wetting his dry lips with his tongue, "can I have an explanation for this mess? When Kakashi-sensei said _spring __cleaning,_ I didn't expect this."

Was there even a floor down there? Sitting almost if he was perfectly placed in the centre was his confused looking sensei. Uchiha Sasuke was pretty much teacher by day, author by night who had some _interesting_ past times. Clearing his throat, Sasuke looked away and flipped delicately through the book in his hand. "It's research material."

The possibility of all this being research material for sensei's novels was high, but Naruto seriously doubted that. He grabbed a book off the pile in front of him and began to flip through. It was interesting how sensei almost had a book about something. Books about rocks, body motions, locations, structures of the earth, how to build medieval Japan instruments (there might have been a street directory and phone book too, but there was so much here Naruto couldn't tell). The book he'd picked up made him blush and put it back where it came from. "Sensei, you've acquired an interesting taste in books."

"Ah, you saw that," his sensei eyed the book Naruto had flipped open. "That's for… other novels."

Raunchy romances, forbidden love, and the occasion (_occasion!_) homoerotic novel were some of sensei's secret novels that he hadn't told anyone about (besides his editor and Naruto… who'd accidentally stumbled across this about two or three weeks ago). Naruto was pretty sure his older brother was obvious to his little brother's obsessions. Though somehow, Naruto had the feeling Hyuuga Hinata-chan knew something about it, but he never asked her if she did (and probably wouldn't either) "Sensei, do you watch anime? They're pretty awesome and have good ideas."

"No, anime is rather annoying. Especially the ones aimed at boys. I hate wimpy girls," Sasuke grumbled, gently placing a book on another pile. "That's why I've always written a strong female cast. Of course, they don't out rival the men, but they don't look weaker either. Girls like novels where their own sex is treated equally after all."

Which was probably explained why sensei was so popular with the female fans. "So, to create a powerful novel…"

"Each character has to be treated equally. All humans are equals after all. It doesn't matter about age, gender, culture, tastes, passions, and desires we have, we're all the from the same species," Sasuke replied politely, picking another novel up. "I make sure to add a little of everything in my novels as well."

"So you're admitting there's gay sex in-"

"Naruto," his sensei spoke in a stern voice, giving Naruto a horrible look. "It's not _gay__sex_, it's homoerotic, and no, I'm not that stupid. I have, admittedly, written suggestive homosexual relationships, but I leave it open to the fans. After all, you can't force your characters together, because they'll be miserable and you'll be too."

"Sensei, they're just characters on a piece of paper, it doesn't matter what they-" Naruto didn't finish the sentence as he had to dodge the thick book that was slung at him. "What was that for?"

"You outsiders know nothing," Sasuke snapped, crossed his arms and glared at Naruto. The air in the room dropped a few degrees moments later. "Writing is a form of art. It's a creativity that exists here," he tapped his chest, near his heart. "Without emotions, art is meaningless. Art is created not only from your emotions, but to create emotions in other people. You interact with your characters, so you create your characters realistic enough to work the emotion of the reader or viewer. You laugh with them, feel their pain, support them through the tough times, cry with them, become _a__part_ of them. If you feel nothing for your characters, then they are meaningless. Your characters are real if they feel real, but not overly realistic. If they don't want to be with one character and you force them to be, then your story will drag and nothing good will come out of it," his sensei was speaking very carefully. He was very certain of himself. "They are _more_ than 'characters on a piece of paper'; they are _emotions_ of the writer, of the artist."

"Alright, I'm sorry," Naruto jumped in quickly, not wanting the lecture to continue. "I'm just not into this kind of stuff," Naruto admitted with a shrug.

"But you did start reading my work."

That was true, and Naruto secretly admitted that he was moved because of the characters, but he wasn't going to tell Sasuke _that_. "Yeah, I guess I did."

There was a lingering silence between them, each trying to work out what they should say next. Eventually, Sasuke cleared his throat. "Anyways, you are meant to be packing for England, right? It's best that you leave to do so. You catch the plane out later tomorrow afternoon."

Yeah, but that didn't motivate Naruto to leave, only made him hesitate more. "I've finished packing," Naruto lied, stepping between the piles of books. "Let me help you."

"I don't need any help... because knowing my attitude, I'll just place all these books back where they were and pretend this never happened," Sasuke admitted, a smile on his lips. "That's happened on several occasions... except the time Haruno-san came down to help."

Naruto rolled his eyes, stopping a few centimetres away from his sensei. "Do you need any of this though?"

"I always go back to my collection, Naruto. Everything has a usage whether you can see it or not." Sasuke sighed with content. "Choosing to keep all of these books has its importance in one way or another. I like to be able to look into them again and again in case I find something new that sparks another idea."

That would be about right. "You're a hoarders of books, sensei," Naruto muttered to himself. "If you don't want my help, then I'll go," Naruto finally grumbled out and turned to leave. "Just don't-' Naruto didn't finish as he slipped on a fallen book.

"Naruto!" Arms hooked under his, catching his fall. Sasuke must have jumped to his feet when he realised the danger hazard. "Are you alright?" Sasuke asked gently.

Naruto's face flashed a tickle pink when he felt a warm breath on his neck and pushed away from Sasuke, stepping over the fallen book in his desperate leap for freedom. "I'm fine!" Naruto said, wincing as pain shot up his leg. Maybe he wasn't, since there was something definitely wrong with his leg. Maybe it was a twisted ankle?

"You don't sound alright," Sasuke spoke gently, turning Naruto back. The blondes faced scrunched up with pain. "You can't go home like this."

"It's nothing!"

"Like hell it's nothing!" Sasuke snapped, and then apologized for raising his voice. "I'm sorry, I hadn't realised some of the books on the floor. Let's get you into the lounge room so I can see what damage has been done."

Naruto was going to protests, but his words fell short at the nasty look he received so he clenched his mouth shut but began to wonder how his sensei was going to move him from…

Sasuke wrapped one arm under Naruto's arms before he bent down enough to scoop Naruto up into his arms. The largest blush crossed Naruto's face. Sasuke almost smiled but kept his comments to himself. It was clear both had realised the awkwardness of the position. Carrying Naruto carefully through the mess, Sasuke headed towards the doors. "S-Sensei, this isn't necessary! I-I can walk!"

"And have you hurt yourself more? When pigs fly," Sasuke grumbled, slipping through the door way with ease and moving down the corridor towards the living room. The spacious room felt that much bigger since Naruto felt cramped up against Sasuke. However, there was something about this heat that Naruto wanted to keep close.

_This isn't good!_

Sasuke gently set Naruto down on the couch, tugging off the shoe of the sore foot. He gently applied pressed, relief washing over his face. "Nothing's broken," he confirmed, gently massaging Naruto's ankle. Pain was a bitter after taste in Naruto's mouth, but he soon forgot the pain when Sasuke delicately massaged the sore area. "It'll probably be a little sore tomorrow, but you should be alright… unless you want to see a doctor about this."

"Its fine," Naruto choked out, shaking his head. The last thing he wanted to do was see a doctor over something prissy as this. They stayed silent for a moment before Sasuke stood up. Just as the raven announced he was going to get them something to drink, Naruto's arm shot out and grabbed the edge of Sasuke's sleeve, stopping him. They stared at each other for a long moment.

Suddenly, Naruto panicked, not sure what to say. He wasn't sure if he could say anything to make up for that. As Naruto began to splutter out some nonsense, Sasuke climbed on top of Naruto, pressing his lips gently against the blondes. It seemed Sasuke enjoyed using this method to shut him up considering the other time.

A warm hand brushed against Naruto's cheek as Sasuke pushed his lips into a more intense kiss. Unable to withdraw from the warm, Naruto kissed back, wanting to taste and feel the heat flowed out of him.

Admittedly, Naruto was actually going to miss his sensei… even though he used to hate the man. There was something different from Uchiha-sensei and Sasuke, the same person, yet two different people at the same time. Tyrannically hot tempered at school and who wasn't afraid to ditch things at you turned into this kind, caring man who really was just lonely in the heart. It was like Naruto _was_ dealing with two Sasuke's.

Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't. There was no proof Sasuke had split-personality really.

The kiss linger a moment longer before Sasuke pulled away, a small smile on his lips. Suddenly, he became rather cocky and said "is this a sign you're going to miss me when you leave?"

Naruto never punched him so hard before, landing a perfect punch right in the middle of Sasuke's chest. That made him feel a whole lot better.

* * *

**Lol, I hoped you all liked it. Just something small, nothing utterly fancy =D**


	23. Chapter 21

**A/N: Don't panic, this is still Only In Fiction. I found it's easier for me to work with Parts in long stories, so this is the "next" part of Only In Fiction. It's been about 6 or so months since Chapter 20 so there's a gap here. Parts just represent the breaks between the stories.  
**

* * *

**Only In Fiction - Part 2 - Publication Blunders  
**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

School would be starting soon, which meant a fresh new year. Of course, that meant it was one year more since Uchiha Sasuke had started his career as a teacher. Delightful, really, that someone like him had achieved more than he'd bargained for. Sitting comfortably, reading a book, Orochimaru pondered on how his favourite was doing. He found he had to be extra careful now days with his brother having the power of the yakuza behind him, and found him back in hiding. Not that it really bothered him it just meant it was going to take longer to set his plans in motion.

Glancing up occasionally at the clock, Orochimaru pondered on where his guest could be, noting they were unreasonably late. That was bad for them, since they knew the risk, but as he planned his punishment, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter," he murmured in his serpent like voice, being cool and dripping of venom. The door opened slowly, hesitantly before a young man appeared, looking rather nervous. Orochimaru didn't bother to pay attention to him and focused on his novel. The man stood there for a moment before he took a step forward. "Shut the door, you're letting in a draft" Orochimaru said coolly, waiting for the sound of the door to close.

When the door did, he finally snapped his book shut and turned his attention. He smiled with sickly delight as the boy tugged at his long shirt, as if he was trying to hide himself from the sharp eyes.

"What can I do for you?" Orochimaru said gently, noticing the boy shiver at his tone. It was probably rude to call him that, since he wasn't really a child, but Orochimaru couldn't care less. The young man, standing there with a hopeless expression was Sai, a boy who faked his madness to protect his brother… but only because he had to.

"You promise," Sai said weakly unsure of what to do with himself. "Where's Kyuu, I want him back."

"I told you already, if you wanted your brother back, you had to do something for me."

Sai bit his lip, a look that was quite seductive to him. Ever since that one time, Orochimaru had made sure to keep a close eye on the two boys, knowing how close they were to his target. Even now, they still had value. "I told you, Orochimaru-sama… that Kyuu has nothing to do with this."

Orochimaru smiled simply. "Oh yes he does."

* * *

"Thank you very much for your hard work today, sensei," an official said from the publishing company, bowing his head politely. "You truly have made your fans day." Uchiha Sasuke laughed politely and thanked the man before an arm hooked through his own, leading him down the street. The late spring blossoms bloomed brilliantly and looked magnification in the sunset. Haruno Sakura-san, Sasuke's editor, leaned lightly on him, sighing softly. He'd been rather annoyed she was working while high with fever, but he would let it go. They were close friends, so he was there for her to lean on him.

"You're one amazing man, Uchiha. Really, the fact you did that interview and book signing today just provided it. Surely your wrist hurts like hell now," she commented, her voice very soft.

"I'm just another dedicated writer out there to please my fans," Sasuke replied gently, almost laughing. With the final release of his last book, Sasuke had been blow away by the amount of fan mail he received, so many fans being sad about the ending, but enjoyed it to the bitter end. He did plan on another book, but decided that things had to end here, just like a lot of other things.

One of them was Uzumaki Naruto. The boy had left just before graduation, his best mate Inuzuka Kiba following him as he left for England. He'd passed the year with flying colours, and had been accepted into university of his choice. However, Naruto had to put off going to university since he realised he wouldn't have time to come for it. That had been about three months ago and not once had he heard from the blonde teen that'd caught his heart. It didn't matter, there were other concerns on the blonde's mind, like his God Father, who'd been injured while travelling and was currently stuck in England until he recovered. That was more important that him. Of course, there had been one letter from the blonde, a congratulations letter a few weeks ago. Naruto had heard the news of the last book and had congratulated him on his success, but that was all he heard.

It was a bit of a downer actually. It didn't matter, really. He didn't expect Naruto to be there for him forever. Instead, he focused on his surroundings, noting how the nights were getting warmer. "It seems summers nearly on our doorstep again." To think a year around this time things had started between him and Naruto.

"Oh joy, summer," Haruno didn't sound that delighted, but still smiled. "It'd be sad to see spring end."

"There's always next year," Sasuke reminded her, glancing at his watch. "I think it's time to get you home, missy. You were too sick and yet you forced yourself to be here today."

"I have to be, I'm your god damn editor!"

"That means nothing," Sasuke chuckled, leading her to the waiting car. Standing against it was his older brother, who was having a smoke while staring at the blossoms. Sasuke had politely asked his brother for the company, but then Haruno-san had turned up at the last minute. "Let's go home," Sasuke said, managing to get into the car and shut the door, before turning his attention on his brother. "Sorry to have called you out here today?"

Uchiha Itachi smiled at his younger brother, but didn't say anything, just climbed into the driver's seat. Sasuke got in after him, sitting beside Haruno-san on the back seat. "She looks like crap," Itachi commented with a grin.

"Shut it, Uchiha," Haruno said, resting her head on Sasuke. She was asleep moments later, which meant Sasuke could talk to his brother without Haruno hearing.

"I couldn't find them," Itachi said, as if guessing what Sasuke wanted to say. "It's like they've fallen off the radar, no clues left to who was behind this." He went silent then shook his head. "No, we know who's behind their disappearance. Orochimaru's on the move again."

Sasuke shuddered inwardly at the name, it being one of the two names he dreaded most, the other being his father's name. "He's hidden his track well, and you've yet to uncover where he's hiding right?"

"Sadly, we can only do so much Sasuke. We'll keep an eye out to see if the two of them resurface. I don't really want to get too meddled up in Orochimaru's shit, but if push comes to shove, I'll act." Itachi glanced at him in the rear-view mirror. Sasuke didn't say anything, just sighed to himself and turned his attention to the streets.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Sasuke asked when he sat down at the table in the coffee shop, accompanied by Haruno-san who seemed to be in far better health than she'd been two days early. She was all smiles and waved her hand as if she was brushing away her passing fever.

"Wonderful, truly wonderful," she said brightly just as the waiter came over with their hot drinks they'd ordered the moment they entered. "And on brighter news, you've got a lot of complements from the staff at the publishing headquarters. Everyone was so jealous of me!"

Sasuke laughed glad to see her back in high spirits. "Aren't you lucky then? Getting all those comments, but we both know I won't trade you for anyone."

Haruno-san seemed pleased with that and sipped from her coffee with delight. They didn't speak for a moment before Haruno spoke out again. "By the way, have you heard from the blonde boy?" she asked, referring to Naruto. She knew his name, but still didn't use his name in civilized conversation.

Shrugging, Sasuke turned his attention to his coffee. "Besides the congratulations he sent earlier, no, I haven't. I guess it doesn't matter. There are greater things on his mind."

"Unless he's not sending anything because he knows he'll miss you," she gave him a pouty face before laughing lightly.

"This ain't no cliché yaoi romance manga, my dear. Stop getting weird ideas" he warned, but smiled nevertheless. He knew she meant well, but he rather not talk (or _think_) of Naruto. If he had to move on, he would.

"But it would have been nice to know he was still thinking about you," Haruno said, leaning forward slightly in her seat. Sasuke just shrugged again, not really fussed. "I remember the big fuss he made over your secret novels. That was rather cute of him."

Yeah, that had caused a probably between him and his best friend because of _Sasuke's_ stupid novel. He'd rather forget about it, but Haruno-san didn't know about that. He kept that part very quiet. "He wasn't as angry as I thought he would be."

"That's because he was _in love with you~_" she spoke lyrically, her hand pressed to her heart. _Cheeky bugger,_ Sasuke thought, laughing with her. "Anyways, about this book tour we were talking about before we got distracted-" Haruno-san began to speak but was cut off by something.

"Uchiha-sensei?" the voice he knew well and spun about in his chair, stared at the person and tried to work out who he was. The other seemed slightly overwhelmed, which was how Sasuke felt. He was about to ask who it was when the person spoke again. "Wow, I didn't think I was going to run into you," he said, looking slightly awkward then laughed weakly. "Jeez… so not prepared."

A switch in his brain turned itself on. "What the hell did you do to your hair, Uzumaki?" Sasuke demanded, rather than greeting.

Uzumaki Naruto flinched at the comment, laughing weakly. "Ouch, no _'hey-hi-hello'_ there," he commented then tugged at his hair. The once blonde hair was now brunette, but there was the evidence it was slowly growing out. "Prank Kiba pulled on me, I paid him back just as hard, but jeez, Jiraiya was shitted off over that."

Of course, wasn't surprised his god father was angry about it. "I didn't realise you were back," Sasuke said, feeling somewhat disappointed that he was left out the loop.

"Sorry," Naruto pulled a seat up to the table, sitting down next to him. "I've literally just got. Dead tired, jet lag really sucks. I came here to get a coffee for me and…" he went quiet then shook his head. "I'm back though," he grinned then realised Haruno-san was here. "It's the devil woman."

She choked, looking at Sasuke for an answer. Sasuke didn't know where this came from. "What do you mean, _'Devil woman'_?" She did her best to keep her cool.

"Well, you know, you like yaoi, and you convinced him to write yaoi, and really… meet some freaks in England who were mad about yaoi, so Kiba decided all yaoi fangirls were devils. I sorta caught onto it, but I don't mean to be insulting you or anything."

She ignored him, pouting out the window. "So you're heading home?" Sasuke asked, not really caring about how she reacted to that since he agreed for different reasons.

"Yeah, Kiba and Jiraiya headed back, but I offered to grab coffee. Jiraiya is still slightly unsteady on his feet, but he's in good health." He ran his finger in circles on the table surface. Something was bothering. "Actually, I'm not here alone. I just happen to have seen you and told the person I'd be back."

"Who are you here with?" Sasuke noticed how awkward Naruto looked. He glanced away, which made Sasuke turn his attention. He couldn't tell who he was looking for.

"My… father," Naruto finally said after a tense moment. That even grabbed Haruno-san's attention.

"Pardon?" Sasuke asked his eyes wide with shock.

"My father… Namikaze Minato," he was very awkward. "I know, he's meant to be dead right? Well… actually… Jiraiya finally told me why he was actually looking for my father who he knew went into hiding. He didn't know where, but he knew. Minato…" Naruto stopped for a moment then re-corrected himself. "Dad had asked Jiraiya to keep an eye on me, but Jiraiya had trouble tracking _me_ down."

"But your father was murdered," Sasuke managed to choke out. "How can he be _alive_?"

Naruto nodded, understanding where Sasuke was going. "Actually, the man who was killed wasn't my father, but his double. Min… _Dad_ had asked him to stand in place while he went to confront your dad and…and died with mum."

Shit, this was hard for Naruto. Sasuke cursed quietly, Haruno-san just glanced out the window, not sure what to do with herself. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's fine. I'm still trying to get used to it. When I met him, I didn't realise he was my dad, so when Jiraiya told Kiba and I, we were pretty shocked." Someone called his name, which brought their attention around. Still, Sasuke couldn't see who was calling out. "Look, sensei, I have to go. I'll get in contact with you in a few days, once I got over this jet lag," he said, standing up. "It was really good to have seen you again."

"Yeah, I expect details later," Sasuke said gently as he bid goodbye to Naruto who raced off. Naruto had grown a little, but not enough to completely hide the person he was with. A blood vessel popped in his head. "That little bastard."

"Huh?"

Sasuke shook his hand and stood up. "We have things to do today, so lets get a move on with it."


	24. Chapter 22

**Only In Fiction - Part 2 - Publication Blunders  
**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Three months it had been, and yet no matter how much he told himself to move on, he still found himself drawn to the familiar feelings he'd felt weeks before he left for England. He'd been so caught up with the situation with his father he'd quickly forgotten what it felt like to be with Sasuke again.

Maybe it was melancholy feelings he was getting whenever he thought of Sasuke that was screwing with his head!

"NA-RU-TO" A voice startled Naruto out of his pointless thinking and back to the present, feeling a familiar arm slip around his waist... a little too low for comfort. "Where's ya mind wandering off to, nows?" it was Kiba, Naruto's _best_ friend, with the word stressed on 'best'. There was a reason for why he was uncomfortable half the time. When Naruto had discovered that his best friend harboured feelings for him, Naruto had been overwhelmed and uncertain of what to do next… not to mention while in England things had gotten… erm… tenser between the two.

If you really wanted to know what Naruto meant by that, you'd only have to think of the worst possible situation that could have happened between the two?

"Was that Sasuke-san that I saw ya with?" Kiba disliked Sasuke a lot, and tended to speak in a dark tone about the said sensei. Maybe it was just jealousy that maybe Kiba act that way.

"Does it really matter?" Naruto choked out, wanting to remove Kiba's weight from his body. He was already heavy enough without adding another heavy body on top. (Note, Kiba is not fat, just too damn buffed up for his own good!)

"Of course it does, you went over to see him after all. It's natural I'd worry."

"You make him sound evil," Naruto grumbled with annoyance.

"Anyways~! You're phone called a moment ago. J-man was looking for you." J-man was Jiraiya, and since Kiba had a hard time pronouncing the name, he just stuck with that nickname. "He said ya dad was out and about, looking for us!"

Oh the joys of having a father. In some ways…Naruto felt uneasy by the term used towards the man who'd only just walked into his life, proclaiming to be his father. Jiraiya was pretty convinced, but Naruto wasn't. There was something fishy about the man, but Naruto couldn't work out what it was. It probably was just his imagination after all. "Alright, let's head back" Naruto said, shrugging off Kiba and moving a little faster along the road.

This whole dad thing is bothering you, isn't it?" Kiba asked, looking a little nervous. "Actually, since we got back – no, before we got back, you've looked like this. Maybe you need to talk to J-man about it?"

"I can't, Kiba. If I say anything, it might upset him. Jiraiya is dead set on Minato-san being my father, and I mean, I do look a lot like him, but…he seems fishy."

"But even though you said that, even though J-man is dead set on this… you still think he's fishy? But why do you think _that_?"

"He claimed he was in hiding, but the man Jiraiya told me about was fearless, so why did he go into hiding?"

"Who knows?"

"And why leave mum in the firing line. He's suspicious, and I hate it."

"I think…" Kiba began flexing his fingers in front of him "you're just being over sensitive. Give the man a break, he seems to have gone through hell just to get this far."

Kiba was right he was just being silly over everything. "Yeah… I guess," Naruto sighed.

Naruto trudged along the streets, Kiba close to his side. They were silent as they walked for two completely different reasons, but whatever reasons it was for Kiba was beyond Naruto. They turned into the street where the bus they needed to catch stopped when a overwhelming squeal of girls filled their ears. The street was a known street for famous people (it was also the street where he and Sasuke had visited a few times before) so girls tended to gather out there front to catch a glimpse of their favourite star who may be spending time in the hotel near the bus stop. Kiba made a face at Naruto which caused the two to laugh. It was easy to keep this pace when Kiba wasn't being overly affectionate towards him. "Ugh, girls like that are frustrating. Remember Ino used to hang around here sometimes whenever her favourite Seiyu just happened to be staying here."

"Or Mangaka," Naruto added, and they both chuckled. "I miss those days, but Ino left for America around the same time we left for England."

"Yeah, she decided to study aboard, which is a good idea since she wants to be a fashion designer. It's probably the best place to start," Kiba answered with a disappointed sigh. "A lot of our friends have moved on."

"But that's life; we grow up and move on from our friends. We make new friends too, which is the great thing about it all after all."

"I guess," Kiba sighed. They were silent for a moment before a name drifted past their ears, making them turn towards the group of girls. "Did they just say Uchiha-san?" Kiba asked, though Naruto didn't reply. He was more stunned at the name being mentioned.

They watched for a moment before a tall and slender man stepped out, being swamped by girls. He was too tall to be Sasuke, but he face was vaguely familiar. "We must have misheard," Naruto turned his attention away and yawned.

"But doesn't he have a big shot brother?"

"Yeah, I think he does," Naruto replied, shifting from one foot to the other. He needed sleep badly, and began to wish for the bus to hurry up. "Itachi, I think it was," Naruto replied, trying to recall it.

"Did ya ever meet him?"

If Naruto did, he couldn't remember.

They talked about a few things at the bus stop, ignoring the squealing girls. Things were just getting good when a hand pressed down on Naruto shoulder, scaring both boys. When Naruto turned his eyes on the person who touched him, he felt a jab in his heart. "W-Who-?" Kiba didn't quite finish his sentence.

If you spoke of the devil, he came to your door. Ok, that was fictional sense since they were both outside in front of the bus stop. However, there was no doubting this was Sasuke's older brother. Everything about his was almost identical to Sasuke. The man glanced at Kiba for a mere second before he turned his attention to Naruto. "Uzumaki-kun… yes?"

"Y-Yes sir," Naruto nodded, almost afraid.

There was a tense moment before a small – almost no-existent – smile brushed the Uchiha's lips. "No need to be alarmed, I just wanted to have a little chat to you."

"W-What about…?" Naruto glanced past them at the fan girls who were still squealing… over Uchiha Itachi? Huh?

"My double will deal with this." The man lowered his sunglasses to look directly at Naruto. "If you don't mind, could we arrange a time to meet up tomorrow? There's a few questions I need to ask."

_Tomorrow… I'll see Sasuke first, and then deal with his older brother._ "What about the afternoon, sometime around about three o'clock maybe."

"Excellent. I'm pretty sure you know the café where you bumped into my brother yesterday" _how did he know that?_ "So I'll meet you there." And then he was gone.

The powerful aura that had been coming from the older Uchiha still lingered between the two. Kiba and Naruto didn't utter a word until they got home.

* * *

Sasuke choked, _very loudly_. The drop by had been sudden, he wasn't expecting to see Naruto for another few days, but as Sasuke was about to have his morning coffee, the blonde (currently _brunette_) burst into his home, upset.

"What do I do?" Naruto asked, almost in tears. "I-I don't know what I should do anymore!"

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke set aside his coffee and stood up from the couch, dropping the book he had in his lap to the floor. It didn't matter, seeing Naruto all worked up hurt him greatly. "What happened… is this about your father?"

"No!" Naruto wailed, flinging his arms up in the air. "Y-You're brother wants to talk to me!"

Why the hell was Sasuke's brother interested in the brunette anyways? "My brother, since when did you know my brother?" Actually, now he began to grow curious. Was this related too…?

"I don't know why! I was at the bus stop with Kiba when he confronted me and said he wanted to talk to me about something!"

"What were his exact words?"

"He said he wanted to have a little chat and wanted to ask a few questions…" Naruto's voice drifted and he went quiet.

Sasuke took a deep breath, feeling his throat close up. It had to be related to _that_, it just had to. "Alright, Uzumaki, why don't you take a seat so we can talk about this?"

"I don't think I could sit," Naruto admitted and began to pace the room. "Why would your brother want to talk to me anyways? I haven't done anything to upset him or you… or anyone I hope."

"Naruto-"

"I mean, I _just_ got back three days ago and been in bed most of the time. Of course I haven't had time to upset anyone!"

"Naruto, listen-"

"Did I say something offensive before I left that's upset him?"

"Naruto!" Sasuke's growl still went unheard as Naruto paced the room. A twitch of annoyance tweaked at his brow as he stormed over, grabbed Naruto by his shoulders and forced a kiss.

Naruto froze on the spot, a little confused. Of course, the _shut-up-kiss_ worked wonders most the time, and it looked like today was a lucky day since the brunette didn't dare speak after they're lips parted.

"Now…" Sasuke said coolly, running a hand through the dyed hair, trying not to wince at the mud chocolate colour. "Why don't we sit down and talk about this. I have some idea why my brother approached, but even I'm not certain."

Naruto only just nodded, still rather stunned. That was fine with Sasuke, since he was easier to deal with this way. He led the brunette over to the couch and forced him to sit, sitting down beside Naruto and gently taking his hands in his own.

"I have a feeling Itachi, my brother, approached you yesterday because of Kyuubi's disappearance."

"Kyuubi…?"

It seemed Naruto had forgotten that. Was it really safe to bring this topic back up? "You're… erm, prank caller," and though that was the obvious view of it, Sasuke had begun to suspect that Kyuubi's gang was also behind most of the trouble that seemed associated with him. Take the beating Naruto got earlier! There was definitely a connection… but where?

"Oh…" was all Naruto said.

Sasuke sighed, rubbing his finger over Naruto's knuckles. "Don't think Itachi suspects you, he knows you haven't been here, but he's worried that this disappearance is connected to me. It's a precaution, that's all."

Naruto didn't look convinced, which frustrated Sasuke further. What could he do to help Naruto feel better about this? Maybe he should call up and demand answers…? Best not, his brother would ask how he knows. Maybe he should go with Naruto instead?

A heavy sigh broke Sasuke's train of thought as he looked over at Naruto. The tension had slipped from his shoulders, but he still looked worried. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, Naruto. My brother's fairly harmless" _of course, he doesn't know about the Yakuza business or anything. But… it's best to keep __**that**__ quiet._ "Honest."

"Sensei… no matter how you speak, you still don't convince me. I mean, we're not _talking_ about your brother. We're talking about Uchiha Itachi-" _that didn't make sense at all!_ "I mean, everyone knows he works for the government, though they don't know what he does. He's more influential than _you_ sensei."

Sasuke would be honest. Naruto wasn't quite making any sense. "Ok, let's think about what you said. You took my brother out of contents yet still somehow state him to be that of my brother. I'm not quite catching your drift."

"What I mean is, despite the _fact_ he's your brother, he is Uchiha Itachi."

"But nevertheless, he's still my brother."

"Sensei… I thought you were smarter than that."

That comment hurt, _a lot_. "Alright, let's leave this alone then. Explain to me exactly why you're scared to meet him, despite the fact that he _supposedly _works the government and that he's influential."

"…Because he's your brother."

His conversation pissed him off more than anything in the world. There was no sense to it _at __all!_ Sasuke cleared his throat _loudly_. "Once again, your logic fascinates me, Naruto. Not only did you prove that you're stupid, but you also talk nonsense."

"Sensei" Naruto shrieked as he jumped to his feet.

"No matter how you look at this, you're just not making sense. First, you don't speak of Itachi as my brother, and then claim that has nothing to do with it, then turn around and point out it does. Where is the logic in that?"

"Because when I was first talking, I was talking about the man, not your brother."

"But he's nevertheless _my brother_!"

"Sensei, you're an author for crying out loud! Haven't you ever written a scene similar to this?"

"No, I don't write like a bubbling buffoon."

Naruto ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Alright, let me explain this to you. Yes, Itachi is your brother, but when you contrast the two of you, the only thing that makes you _brothers_ is blood and surname, otherwise, Itachi is a different person to you. That's why he's such a scary person, because of who he is. When you finally add the fact you two share the same blood and surname, it just makes him ten times more scarier!"

"And why's that?"

"Because if he's anything like you, then I know Hell's waiting for me."

It seemed today as the day they both were just going to insult each other. So much for today being a romantic day together, after all, they had not seen each other for a while. Then again, neither of them was really like that. "Ok, let's drop the direct insults now," Sasuke muttered before adding "my brother isn't a bad person. If anything, if you can handle me, then you're going to be fine handling my brother. In all honesty, I'm _worse_ than him."

"Oh," was Naruto's only reply to that.

* * *

**A/N: And that concludes my 6 chapter update xD I hope you've enjoyed what I've posted. Now... off to work on other projects =D Cya and thankies!**


	25. Chapter 23

**Only In Fiction - Part 2 - Publication Blunders  
**

******Chapter Twenty**-Three

Despite that fact that Sasuke claimed Itachi wasn't as bad as him, Naruto still found his nerves on edge as he approached the small café, one he'd been to millions of times before today. He couldn't see Itachi from where he stood at the traffic lights, but that meant nothing. The time it took him to get from the lights and into the café, he realised then why Itachi chose this place. After two o'clock, the café's life died down, the lunch rush long gone. Around three, the café still had life, but it was a poor show of what it looked like during the morning and lunch rush.

The chimes sounded when he stepped in, cautiously looking around the café. Either Naruto was late, or Itachi had been here for a while. Though it was obvious many people didn't realise who the man was sitting at the back didn't mean Naruto didn't. Yesterday when he first met Itachi he realised just how similar he and his brother looked. Of course, there were certainly some differences. The most outstanding one that Naruto caught was the long tear troughs that frame the middle of his face. Removed them, and you had a look-alike Sasuke… just that much older. It was clear that even though Itachi had this, he was still certainly a beautiful man.

No wonder girls were infatuated with him.

Naruto moved cautiously over, not sure if he ran now, would the Uchiha notice? Even though he had that looming thought, he stilled approached, stopping in front of the table.

Itachi appeared to be more interested in the newspaper than he acted. "Uzumaki-kun," he greeted but didn't look up.

Shock ran through Naruto, not sure how the dark haired man guessed. Then again, it was fairly easy to guess since Naruto doubted Itachi expected anyone else. "How did you…?"

"It's the way you walked. You walked with an opposing movement, unsure whether approaching or backing away was the best. You also step harder on your left leg, due to an injury you substandard when you were ten. Though it's not obvious by appearance, you can still hear the slight limp in your steps. It's worse when you've been on your feet for a long time." Itachi closed the paper and laid it down, looking up with a small smile. "I bet your interested to know how I guessed that or even heard it as you approached, correct?"

"No, you're an Uchiha. You're all pretty impressive people," Naruto admitted uneasily.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Itachi replied as he grasped the glass that perched on his nose and removed them, folding them up and placing them in the case of his shirt pocket. Sitting there in the crowd, Itachi look no different to the average person. Clearly he'd dressed down for this, but Naruto wondered whether it was to make him comfortable or to keep a low profile? "You don't need to stand there, take a seat."

Still uncomfortable, Naruto took a seat, sitting as close as necessary. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"It's about my brother," Itachi said, folding his hands across the newspaper. "He's acting… weird."

"Weird?" Naruto asked slowly, not sure where Itachi was getting at. "I don't mean to offend, but Sasuke has always been weird."

Itachi smiled at that. "My brother was probably worse in the past."

_Considering the fact of what happened in the past…_ Naruto spoke to himself, but didn't add it to the conversation. "Why is he acting weird?"

"My brother and I are always in contact with each other, but the past three months something has been bothering him. Did you know he ended Katsuo's story just recently?"

"Not really…" Naruto shook his head.

"No one knew what Sasuke was planning, but we all assumed there was more to the story than Sasuke planned. Why would Sasuke stop something he loved so much? Ending it where he did?"

"Because he's in pain…" Naruto murmured, his answer seemingly dead on the mark when Itachi nodded in agreement.

"Dare I say, but he may have been love-sick when he finished it."

"Seriously?" Naruto choked, wondering where Itachi was aiming.

"Sasuke often mentioned someone he had feelings for," Itachi was now smirking. He was more of a bastard than Sasuke it seemed, though the smirk looked just like Sasuke's… if not a little more menacing. "But I seemed to forgotten his name…"

"Uchiha-sama-"

"Call me Itachi, Uchiha-sama just makes me feel old."

He wasn't far off _that_! "Itachi-san… If you have something to say, then say it. I'm not _that_ stupid."

"I didn't say you were," Itachi did sound honest, but with a smirk that could probably kill, it just sounded more like he was really insulting. "Do you have feelings for Sasuke?"

Naruto choked, though he expected the comment anyways. "Wh-What makes you say that?"

"Well, it's clear Sasuke's infatuated with you."

"That's going a bit far," Naruto muttered, glaring slightly at Itachi.

"Why, what would you say it is? I could name all kinds of words for this."

"Pardon?"

"Would you prefer, madly in love, smitten, enamoured, head-over-heels, crazed, obsessed, fixated-"

"What are you, a _thesaurus_?" Naruto almost demanded, but his words weakened when Itachi leaned over the table. As his jacket pulled away, it revealed a small pistol in a pocket, but Naruto suspected it wasn't there because of him. _What are you?_ "Itachi-san, what's happening between Sasuke and I really isn't your concern." He probably wasn't really choosing the right words here, since the pistol almost glistered in the shadows. "And besides" Naruto lowered his voice so no one around him heard his next words. "What kind of man carries a gun around with him in board daylight? You've either gotta be stupid or-"

"Sasuke hasn't told you…" it wasn't a question. Itachi looked troubled and pulled his jacket together, his eyes scanning the room. "Naruto, there are things in our world that are incredibly dangerous. Just ask your father…"

_So we're finally arrived at the real topic._ "You know my father's alive?"

"I have my resources and it won't be long before my father discovers not only is your father alive with evidence that could damage him, but he also has a son from the women he hated the most."

There was a dangerous aura floating around them, and Naruto wiggled slightly, feeling uncomfortable. "About that… My dad doesn't remember much," Naruto admitted uneasily. "I already asked, but a lot of things were hazy. My Godfather reckoned it was because of the trauma of losing my mother… and believing he lost me as well."

Itachi nodded sympathetically. "I wouldn't blame him if he did, but my father certainly wouldn't know that."

"True…" Naruto went quiet, scared to actually admit that he didn't want to lose his dad a second time, though he was finding it hard to adjust to the fact he even had a dad. "Itachi-san… what about Orochimaru?"

Itachi went pale, _really pale_. "How?"

"I have my resources as well," Naruto admitted weakly. "He was someone bad wasn't he? He did bad things to Sasuke."

"That man is as good as dead when I find him," Itachi's voice was dark. "I'll warn you now, Naruto. If you ever meet Orochimaru or my father, get away from them immediately. They are _dangerous_ people, and they're not to be handled by a boy."

As much as being called a boy was insulting, seeing the dangerous look in Itachi's eyes warned him not to day anything. "Alright…" Naruto whispered, feeling rather scared.

A moment of silence passed before Itachi stood. "I have other matters to attend to, so we'll have to leave it here…" Itachi was thoughtful for a moment before a gentle smile appeared on his lips, the bad mood long gone. "I'd very much like to meet your father, Naruto. So maybe we can arrange a day where I can."

Was that safe? Naruto wasn't sure, but he had to ask. "Can I trust you?"

Itachi moved around the table, resting a hand on Naruto's head. "That's not something I can ask of you. You have to learn who you want to trust and who you don't. However, I'm not your father's enemy, nor yours. We both have a common enemy, but it's not each other. If anything bad does happen, get Sasuke to contact me. Not only does it boost his ego when you go to him for help, it lets him know you're safe."

Naruto nodded weakly, not sure what to say.

Itachi's smile was a very genuine and kind one. "I can see why Gaara and Sasuke love you so much," was his last comment before he disappeared from the café, leaving Naruto one question:

When did he ever meet Gaara?

* * *

If there was a person he hated more in the world, it was definitely the man in front of him who seemed to know more about him that he ever wanted. Uchiha Itachi wasn't a man who just let something drop because someone asked them to, but dug in deeper to expose the truth. If he thought he hated the younger brother more, he was wrong.

Clearing his throat, Subaku Gaara shifted towards the man who sat behind his desk looking utterly amused by Gaara's awkward steps. Yes, he really did hate the older brother more, but today wasn't the day to challenge a man who pretty much had more control of the Police force than the Commissioner General! "What can I do for you today, Subaku-kun?"

Gaara held a growl back and stopped in front of the desk. "Explain to me _why_ you have the privilege to see my little brother _before_ me, Uchiha?"

"I didn't know there was a waiting list, Subaku-kun, so I just assumed I could."

"It's bad enough your brother is already close to him. Are you both trying to get him killed?"

"And what if I said I was?"

_Hold back, hold back!_ Gaara clenched his fists, wanting to rip the Uchiha's throat out. "You wouldn't _dare_ hurt him."

"I'm an audacious man, Subaku-kun, you know I have no morals."

"I bet you played your role well this afternoon, didn't you?"

"And may I enquire how you knew I was seeing Uzumaki-chan?"

"I heard from your brother."

"I didn't tell my brother," Itachi replied softly, darkly. "So it amazes me how he knew about it, though I can guess how now that I think about it."

Under the dark, sinister glaze from Uchiha Itachi, anyone became uneasy. Gaara had faced it before, but didn't quite squirm under it. "I don't trust you, remember that. If Naruto gets hurt because of you, I will hunt you down and kill you."

There was shift behind Gaara, but he didn't need to turn around and see what it was. Another man who'd been in the room pressed a gun to his head. It was a warning, Gaara knew that, but he didn't cower because of it. Itachi smirked darkly, his onyx eyes glistering with excitement. "Is that so?"

Uchiha Itachi was truly a cruel man. He played dirty all the time, then again, what did he expect from the Uchiha family? "What is your goal, Itachi? Is Naruto in your way?"

"Certainly not, he's keeping Sasuke at bay. He's useful for as long as Sasuke has his attention on him, but if things become boring, I might have to… change the tactic."

"Meaning?"

"You asked if I was trying to get him killed," Itachi's smile-like-smirk was truly evil. "I refuse to let my father hurt the child of Namikaze Minato… but that won't prevent me from killing him if he does become bothersome. After all, if he steps too far into this… then I'll have to silence him after all."

Gaara almost reached out and grabbed Itachi's shirt, but the gun pressed a little harder against his head. If Itachi wanted him dead, he would have done it by now, with his own hands. Gaara knew why Itachi kept him round, and that was to keep the Hyuuga family out of the way. Gaara was the only thing that Hyuuga family didn't want to step up against because of the oldest son being in a relationship with him. Of course, it wasn't like that was approved of anyways.

"Did I piss you off, Subaku-kun?"

Of course he did, but there was a death threat right behind him, so he kept his face stoic. "Touch Naruto, and I will kill you."

"That's fine, because I'll have to take you out first, won't I?"

A hand grasped the back of his head, yanking his head back painfully. Pain ripped through his head and he winced. "Killing me gets you know where."

"I don't know, quite frankly I'm sick of you being around."

"I know your goal, Uchiha, and Sasuke won't like the final result. Your kind of Utopia for him will only bring him more pain. There's only a matter of time before he realise what you've done."

Itachi's face darkened until his expression became unreadable. "I'd like to know why you think that."

"Hyuuga said it once before, you're just like you're father, and you'll stop at nothing to get your way."

Itachi smiled softly, walking around the desk and stopped before Gaara, running a gentle finger down his exposed throat. "I'm more than my father-" Itachi spoke softly as pain pierced Gaara's stomach.

Gaara's eyes floated down to the red patch in his stomach, suddenly fear crossed his face. _I-Impossible!_

Itachi pulled the small paper knife out of Gaara's stomach and replied sweetly "-because I'm more merciful."

* * *

**A/N: There is a reason why Itachi said merciful and not merciless. And there's also a reason why he stabbed Gaara D=  
**


	26. Chapter 24

******Only In Fiction - Part 2 - Publication Blunders**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

There was a heavy rasp of the door that startled Sasuke from the novel he was indulging himself in. He glanced at the time, realising how late it was before he moved to his feet to answer the door. The rasp came harder, almost desperate which worried Sasuke. Was it Naruto? Did something bad happen?

Sasuke yanked the door open quickly, only to feel the person on the outside brush past him. He barely got a chance to see who it was, but the fact there was little greeting, Sasuke already guessed who it was.

Hyuuga Neji stormed into the house and began to pace, looking extremely upset. "What's wrong?" Sasuke asked as he closed the door, almost groaning as the muddy shoes (he wasn't sure why they were muddy though) left dark patches on his cream carpet. "You look upset."

"You think?" Neji hollered at him, his voice stained with tears, which wasn't the only thing. "You _think_ I'm upset? That's not even the basis of what I'm feeling at the moment!"

Sasuke had never seen Neji cry (ok, that was a lie, there had been one other time he cried but that wasn't the point!). The fact he was so broken up really sent signals to Sasuke's brain. Something _tremendously_ bad had happened, but what was it? "What happened," Sasuke moved quickly over to Neji, grabbing his shoulders so he stopped moving about. He must have been crying for hours, his eyes were all swollen and red. "Neji, tell me what happened?"

"G-Gaara…" he managed to choke the words out before he collapsed on the spot, loud sobs escaping.

Sasuke did the first thing he could think of, wrapping his arms around Neji and pulling him close. What had happened to Gaara? Not that Sasuke really cared about Gaara on a _bad_ day, but knowing something happened to his friend (ok _'pretend friend'__** [1]**_) was serious.

The Gaara that Sasuke knew was strong, so something happening was really scary. "I-I…" Neji was really choked up so it took a few minutes for him to manage his breathing. "I-I was cooking di-dinner when I-I heard a-a knock on the d-door. Ga-Gaara seemed h-h-huddled over, but he-he acted normal, s-stating he was going to the ba-bathr-room. I-I thought som-something was odd an-and that's when I no-noticed bl-blood on the f-front door. I ra-raced after him to-to find him co-collapsed and b-bleeding in the bathroom…" his voice was gone and sobs followed.

Sasuke felt his stomach sink, his eyes widening. Someone _attacked_ Gaara? Sure, he had his enemies, but no one would dare hurt him… right? "Do you know who did this?"

"H-He went to s-see your brother."

That was all he needed to know.

* * *

The buzzing sensation of Naruto's phone startled him from a nice dream. Groaning he picked it up and stared at the screen. _One Message_ flashed up on his screen, but it was by a number he didn't know. He debated about ignoring it but opened the message up anyways.

'_I know this is incredibly late, but you need to get your ass down to the hospital… Gaara was stabbed, he's in intensive care._

_S'_

Naruto stared at the screen, almost paralyzed to the bed.

In a flash, Naruto jumped out of bed and dressed in a hurry, startling the other person in the bed across from him. The man stirred, sitting up and rubbing his face. "Naruto?" the blonde haired man asked, yawning quietly. "What's wrong?"

Naruto hesitated in telling Minato-san what had happened, but the words rushed out anyways. "M-My friend's hurt and been taking to hospital. I-I need to go," he said racing out of the room before his father could ask what Naruto was going on about. There was no time to think about anything at all.

* * *

Naruto jumped the final two steps of the apartment building, coming to a halt at the car out front. Leaning on the side was Sasuke, dressed in all black and looking rather frightening. "I came to take you to the hospital since there's no transport there." He opened the door, his pale face reflected in the dim street lights. "Before you freak out, he's in a stable condition."

Breathing a sigh of relief, he approached Sasuke. "You saw him."

"After Neji fell asleep, I headed over. He's unconscious but alive. The wound was shallow, but a lot of blood was lost."

"Who would do such a thing?"

"Naruto," Sasuke began as his hands clenched around the open door. "You've only seen one side of my brother, but Gaara, Neji and I have seen the other, feral side of him."

…_What…?_

"My brother was the one who stabbed Gaara."

"WHY?"

"It's a warning, Naruto. Gaara is… working for Orochimaru." There was uncertainty in his face.

Well this was just fucking fantastic! "W-Willingly?"

"No, I don't think so. Hyuuga wasn't aware of Gaara's dealings either. Gaara got caught up in something and was sadly forced to go and spy on Itachi. Itachi retaliated and stabbed him as a warning for Orochimaru. If this had been any other case, Itachi wouldn't have laid a finger on Gaara."

* * *

With Naruto safely at the hospital and by Gaara's bed, Sasuke drove over to a dark building that appeared to have never seen the light of day. There was a reason the sight was hidden in an area like this, but Itachi had never elaborated why. Of course, Sasuke had a suspicion it had to do with the secret passages that happened to flow between his home and the work sight here. **[2]** It didn't matter since he was determined to speak to his brother.

Of course, it seemed like he was expected, two guards leaning against the building stopped him, and before they could ask who he was or what he wanted, he said firmly, "I'm here to see Itachi-nii-sama," and brushed past them, leaving the two men behind.

To be truthful, he wasn't quite sure where he was going, but thankfully the two men followed after him, offering to direct him to Itachi's office. Sasuke had seen the building a few times, but he'd never gone inside until today. It was different to what he expected from a Yakuza hideout. He didn't pay attention to the place, just where he was going.

On the second floor, towards the end (or the entrance if you were on the first floor) was a double door, being guarded by two more men. He recognized the red headed and the blonde, but he ignored them, the other two explaining that Itachi's brother was here to see him.

Before anyone could move, Sasuke stormed to the door, kicking it open and storming in. No one around was prepared for the first shot, and it seemed Itachi was even surprised that Sasuke drew a gun at him. Of course, Sasuke missed on purpose, since he wasn't actually here to hurt his brother…

…At least he hoped not.

"What did I do to deserve that kind of greeting," Itachi said his voice slow and uncertain. Itachi rose from his chair and ushered the men out, leaving this issue between the two brothers. "I gathered you'd be angry."

"Angry doesn't even _cut_ it, Itachi. You _stabbed_ my friend! Not only did you hurt him, but you've affected Neji and Naruto emotionally! Did you even think about what you were doing this afternoon?"

"Did you think I really _wanted_ to stab Gaara?" Itachi snapped, pulling a small black case from his pocket. Itachi rarely smoked, but he often lit one up when he was anxious or upset. "You know I had no intentions to kill him. If I wanted him dead, then it would have been worse."

"You still stabbed him nevertheless!"

Itachi growled as he sat down on the edge of his desk, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the gun that still pointed at him. "Sasuke put that blasted thing away."

"Not until I get answers," Sasuke replied sharply. "As much as Gaara pisses me off, you still stabbed him and have hurt many of the people I love. Not to mention what Neji told me _you_ said to him."

"I didn't mean any of that. It was just to provoke him. You know better than anyone that I have no intention of hurting Naruto. He's Minato's son, and you know I look up to Minato. I wouldn't have hurt Gaara if it wasn't for the fact that he was working for Orochimaru."

"But Gaara didn't want to be in that position, now did he?"

"Of course not, but Orochimaru is scheming something, and I have to work out what," Itachi sighed, the smell of smoke drifting around him. Sasuke did his best to ignore the smell, feeling sick because of it. "Sasuke, I wasn't out to hurt anyone."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he lowered the gun, hating himself for drawing a weapon on Itachi, who was doing everything in his power to protect him. Something was wrong, but there was no way to explain just what. _What the hell are you thinking Itachi?_ "Yet you still did."

Itachi growled again, scratching his head rather violently. "Yet I did," Itachi agreed angrily before saying with a cruel, yet sweet smile "just like our father, ne Sasuke?"

It was just an accident, but Sasuke's eyes saw red for a sheer moment, and then he found himself standing in front of Itachi, who grabbed his fist before it slammed into his face. "How dare you…" Sasuke began, feeling choked up. "How dare you think you're like father? You're twice the man he is!"

Itachi's face didn't shift from the smile, and for the first time ever, Sasuke realised what was wrong.

Itachi, too, had experienced abuse from their father, but never acted as if anything was wrong. But something was wrong. He was just… evil as their father, maybe worse. But… it wasn't his fault it was just the trauma that made him fight on. It as probably why the last few years Kakashi hadn't spoken to his brother properly. He was suffering too, and because of it, he was slowly growing ruthless… and two faced even. Was the the man he knew and loved really throwing himself that way. Was he really destroying himself from the inside out?

"I'm a cruel man, Sasuke. We both know that."

Yeah, Sasuke knew that but it didn't mean he believed it. "You're not a cruel man you're just a scared man doing his best to keep strong, to stay sane. But because of it, you're losing your mind, nii-san. Stop acting brave and, for once, allow yourself to feel weak. Actually cry for once."

"My tears dried up a long time ago, Sasuke."

"No they haven't," with his free hand, Sasuke brushed a small tear away from the corner of his brother's eye. "Crying isn't a sign of weakness, it's just a sign of being strong for too long."

The cruel smile dropped and for the first time in ages Sasuke saw his older brother. Maybe it was out of shame or embarrassment, but Itachi hid his face in the corner of Sasuke's neck, using his brother as a support. Neither of them uttered a word, because there was no need to express any more words tonight.

* * *

When Naruto had finally left the hospital, Sasuke was waiting for him by the entrance, looking rather sad. "What's wrong, sensei?" Naruto asked as he joined him, staring up to the sky with his sensei.

"I just saw Itachi," Sasuke replied softly, sighing as the cool breeze brushed against his warm skin. "He's really depressed, almost broken. He's just… I can't describe the man I saw tonight. It was like for a long time I was talking to a stranger, but something's bugging him."

"What does that make this then?"

"I don't think he actually intended to stab Gaara, it just happened. It was just beyond his conscious to actually stop himself from doing something as dangerous as that. Then again, that's probably why he's good at what he does, because he can be frightening at the best of times. He is, after all, one of the best actors I know." Sasuke pushed away from the wall and rolled his shoulders. "I better get you home, your dad's probably freaking out by now."

Naruto winced, knowing he was going to have to explain to him about tonight. "Yeah, I guess we better go."

* * *

This was awkward, Sasuke had been so quiet Naruto was almost paralyzed by the silence, but when Sasuke did speak, he was pretty much determined to walk him back to his apartment room. Not that Naruto minded that, it was just the silence was agonizing uncomfortable.

By the time they reached the end of the hall way on the second floor, Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm and stopped him. "Sensei, something's wrong. Are you alright? Do you wanna come in and talk about it?"

Sasuke shook his head a smiled weakly. "No, I'm just worried about Gaara and my brother. And besides, it's late, so you should go straight to bed."

"But-"

Naruto's protest was cut off when Sasuke silenced him, pressing a finger to Naruto's lips. "Please, I'm tired. It's been a long day, and we both could do with some rest."

Naruto still wanted Sasuke to talk, but maybe he should drop it here. "Alright… I'll come over tomorrow and we'll talk about it if that's better."

Sighing uncomfortably, Sasuke gave in. "Fine, we'll talk about it tomorrow," and he turned to leave.

Of course, Naruto still really didn't want Sasuke to leave, so he grabbed hold of his arm again and pulled Sasuke about. Maybe it was stupidity on his behalf, but he caught his sensei's lips between his own, giving him a small peck on the lips before smiling weakly at his sensei's shocked face. "Goodnight," he said unwillingly as he let go and turned to leave.

Sasuke acted instinctively, grabbing Naruto and pressing him against the wall, reclaiming the lips again. Naruto almost freaked but settled into the kiss, desperately wanting to keep Sasuke close to him. They both needed comforting, but maybe now wasn't the time.

However, there was no room for protesting. Sasuke's mouth trailed away from the blondes lips, tasting the skin of his throat. His hand coiled into the back of Naruto's hair, feeling disappointed that the once silky blonde hair had been poisoned by the brown hair dye. It was growing out, but it would take ages for it to return to good again.

Never mind, Sasuke was far too engrossed with the noises Naruto made as the sensitive skin of his neck was tormented. Wrapping a leg around Sasuke's back, Naruto arched forwards, desperately wanting to feel more of the warmth that tortured him just so. It was taking everything in him to keep his voice down, not wanting to disturb his slumbering neighbours.

It seemed though Sasuke wanted him to make more noises as his other hand traced down Naruto's shirt before slipping under it, running cool fingers down the warm chest.

Naruto made a startled noise, one a little too loud for his liking. Maybe it was time they needed to stop.

"S-Sensei… we need to stop," Naruto finally gasped out, though he wasn't quite convincing.

One of the reasons why he wanted to stop was because he didn't feel quite ready to step their relationship up that notch, at least, not in a public sense. Conversely, Sasuke didn't seem like he was in the mood to stop, capturing Naruto's lips once again.

The kiss didn't last long when someone cleared their throat, stopping them dead in their tracks. The kiss broke and both turned towards the tall figure standing in Naruto's doorway. The next words freaked Sasuke out the most. "D-Dad…"

_Oh god…_ Sasuke let go of Naruto, not sure what to do now. It seemed Naruto was also in this state. "I wasn't… aware you were in such a relationship," Namikaze Minato spoke in a soft voice, one that wasn't angry, but rather kind. Minato was always softly spoken, despite being a little crazy at times. "Nor would I have guessed it was with the youngest son of the Uchiha family."

Sasuke winced at the same time Naruto spoke. "I-I'm sorry. Things just got out of hand and-"

No, Sasuke was going to take the blame. He cut Naruto off and took a step forward, bowing slightly to Minato. "I'm sorry I should have informed you I was courting your son."

Naruto spluttered at the word _courting_. However, it just amused Minato mpre. "I have no issues with you having a relationship with my son, Sasuke-kun. In fact, I'm more surprised that you two even remember each other."

That surprised the both of them. _Remember each other…?_ "I don't think I understand, Minato-san… have Naruto and I met before?"

"Yes… a long time ago." Minato smile was one that promised not to give anything away just yet. "Anyways, it's late so it's off to bed with the both of you. I hope we get to speak again, Sasuke-kun."

"O-Of course," Sasuke said, the shock still in his voice. There was just one other question Sasuke really wanted to know, but instead he bid a goodnight to both of them and fled, the question circling in his mind.

How the hell did Minato know his _name_?

* * *

**[1] Yes, pretend friend. My friend Matt and I say that to each other lol. I got upset with him so he turned around and said "let's be pretend friends' instead. I thought it was funny to add.**

**[2] I mentioned this a while ago, but I thought to add a note here to remind you guys that Itachi used it once before to sneak into Sasuke's room.**


	27. Chapter 25

**********Only In Fiction - Part 2 - Publication Blunders**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

There was a lot of crashing and banging the next morning that Jiraiya found it hard to concentrate of his paper. Minato seemed content, sipping his coffee in a carefree manner. Jiraiya gave him a sharp glare before he turned his attention to Naruto's bed room. "What an earth are you doing in there, Naruto?" he called out, noticing the moment he did, the noises stopped.

Naruto burst from the bedroom, looking flustered. "I-I'm going to a friends place tonight, so I'm packing a bag with a change of clothes."

"You mean you're going to Sasuke-kun's place?" Minato said, sounding amused as ever as he gave Naruto a glance from the side. Jiraiya felt left out of the loop, there clearly being something the two knew.

"Who's Sasuke?" Jiraiya asked, watching Naruto's face flush another shade of red. "Is there something I should know about?"

"N-No!" Naruto waved his hands restlessly before racing back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Jiraiya passed a glance at Minato who didn't seem like he was willing to express his opinion. Naruto came out the bedroom a few seconds later with a bag on his shoulder. "Anyways, I'm off."

"Have a fun time," Minato said sweetly, smiling at his son fondly.

Naruto looked awkward for a moment, passing a look between the two adults before he finally spoke again. "Dad… about last night-"

"You're secrets safe with me," Minato replied light-heartedly.

It didn't seem like that was Naruto was going on about. "No… about what you said last night. You said that Sasuke and I knew each other."

"Of course, the Uchiha family has long influenced the Namikaze family, and vice verse. However, I didn't really expect Sasuke to remember you since he only saw you a few times, and that was when you were very little. After all, he was nine, and you tend to forget about things in your youth."

"…" Naruto made a noise that sounded a little annoyed. "Dad, do you have any proof of this?"

"Certainly. I have a photo," Minato admitted, grabbing his wallet off the corner of the table and opening it up. He pulled a small, folded photo out, handing it to Naruto. "It's the only last memory I have left of your mother since everything was destroyed when she was killed."

Naruto took the photo carefully, noticing how frail it was. Opening the photo, he stared at the image, feeling tears well in his eyes. He sank into the chair next to his father, staring at the photo. "All this time…" Naruto ran a finger down it, looking sad and happy at the same time. "I never realised how beautiful mum was."

"She was beautiful," Minato admitted, smiling. "The other woman is Sasuke's mother. And there's Sasuke, and Itachi's on the other side. They came to visit your mother in hospital. Itachi was about fourteen when this photo was taken, while Sasuke was about nine."

They were both so young. "This was the first time?"

"Yes, there was one other time where we met up with Mikoto in the park. You were just about one, and Sasuke took you for a walk with Itachi. He was such a cute kid, excitedly following his brother as Itachi pushed you in the pram. We followed behind and watched the three of you gleefully move along the path. Sasuke had a tendency to wake you up and you'd start crying. It was cute the first time because it scared Sasuke enough to run back to us and hide behind his mother, wailing that he didn't know what he'd done wrong. Itachi would get you settled and things would return to normal until Sasuke woke you up again. He must have done this about four or five times before he finally learnt how to make you laugh again."

"He seemed attached to me."

"He was very attached to you, and cried both times when he had to leave. He wanted to spend more time with you. Actually, if I think about it, there was another few times. I think there was a lot of time spent together between your first and second birthday."

_Before your mother died _was left unspoken, but both knew the answer.

Naruto smiled, wiping a few tears away. "Can I borrow this photo? I'd like to show him."

"Of course," Minato replied, watching Naruto stand up. "Have a good time."

"Yeah," the word was slightly strained, but Naruto said goodbye to the both of them, leaving the apartment building.

"I felt so left out," Jiraiya finally commented, startling Minato. "I was forgotten here."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to Jiraiya-sensei," Minato smiled apologetically.

* * *

Sasuke realised this was going to become a habit. Naruto burst into the room, his eyes slightly red, but he didn't quite seem upset or distressed. Coming about the couch, Sasuke approached to greet Naruto. "Good morning… have you been crying?" Sasuke asked as he took Naruto's bag.

Naruto looked startled and began to rub his eyes. "Dad was just telling me some stories this morning. I guess they were just emotional enough to make me cry a little."

"What was he telling you?" Sasuke asked as they walked towards the couches.

"He was telling me of the first time I met you."

Sasuke froze on the spot, staring at Naruto who sat down. That reminded him he wanted to know about this. "What did he tell you?"

Naruto pulled a folded piece of paper of his pocket, handing it to Sasuke. "See for yourself," he said. Sasuke opened the piece of paper, realising it was actually a photograph. He stared at the photo before collapsing next to Naruto on the couch. It was definitely him and Itachi… and Naruto. Something tugged at the back of his mind, and he slowly remembered this day. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

Naruto slipped in under Sasuke's arm, resting his head on the raven's lap. "I vaguely remember this day, actually. I was very young, though."

"Dad reckons you were about nine."

"Sounds about right," Sasuke agreed and leaned back on the couch, resting a hand on Naruto's head.

"Can you tell me about it?"

"I'll try."

* * *

The door burst open, startling Kushina enough to grab her attention. Minato, who sat beside her, looked equally shocked. Standing in the doorway was a young boy, his black hair a mess. "Sasuke-kun," Kushina said as she caught her breath, "you need to be quiet."

"Sorry," Sasuke mumbled as Mikoto and Itachi followed in.

"Sasuke, there was no need to run off!" Itachi scolded his little brother, which made Mikoto laugh as she came up beside Kushina.

"Oh, Hina, he looks beautiful," she said as she sat down beside the bed, across Minato. "He looks just like you, Minato. I bet he even has your eyes."

"He'll probably be just like his father too," Kushina replied softly, watching Sasuke who tiptoed quietly over the bed, climbing on his mother lap so he could get a better look. Minato gave up chair to let Itachi sit down on the other side.

"He's so tiny," Sasuke said, pressing his hands onto the bed and lifting himself up enough to get a better look.

"You were that tiny too, Sasuke," Itachi pointed out, smiling brightly.

"Was not!" Sasuke countered.

"There, there," Mikoto rubbed the top of Sasuke's head. "He's your new little brother."

Sasuke's face clenched up with distaste. "I don't want another brother. I already have one of those and he's mean!"

"Am not, you little-" Itachi's words cut off by a powerful look from the adults. "Oh sure, pick on the eldest!"

Sasuke stuck his tongue out gleefully, having won the adults love. "Does he have to be my brother?"

"Of course, and you have to protect him," Mikoto said as she kissed the top of his head. "You'll protect him, won't you?"

"Yes!" Sasuke didn't sound convincing, clearly saying that to win the affection of the parents. "What's his name, Aunty Kushina?"

"It's Naruto."

"Naruto…" Sasuke said approvingly. "Hello Naruto, I'm your new big brother, Sasuke!"

* * *

"You sounded like a brat, sensei."

"Oh shut up," Sasuke laughed, staring at the photo. "To think we knew each other all this time."

"It's rather scary, isn't?" Naruto asked, closing his eyes and smiling. "Sensei… do you think its destiny?"

"I don't know, maybe it was."

"I read somewhere that _there are no coincidences in this world. There is only Hitsuzen._" **[1]**

"I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure you got that from a manga or anime."

"Yeah, I guess I did."

"I remember when you woke up, all you wanted was me. It was pretty cute, maybe it was love at first sight?"

Naruto choked, sitting up. "Sensei, that's a bad joke."

"I'm sorry," Sasuke replied as he leaned over and kissed Naruto. "Did I offend you?" It didn't matter if that was the case since Naruto knew that it didn't matter. Maybe it was… at least for Sasuke it probably was. Naruto wasn't old enough to remember any of this.

"Do you think your brother remembers me?"

"Of course he would, but he's a sneaky bastard who likes to keep things concealed…" Sasuke let himself drift. They both couldn't really forget and forgive for his brother's ruthless act. "Gaara will be fine. I promise you that."

"I know" the voice didn't sound certain though. Sighing, Naruto leaned forward for a moment before a small smile pressed his lips. Sasuke was curious to know what the smile meant, but before he could ask, the blonde climbed on top of him, stealing a kiss.

Sasuke would admit one thing…

He liked this approach.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Sasuke asked when Naruto leaned back, smiling innocently at him.

"So I'm not allowed to do anything while you take control of everything?"

"I didn't say that," Sasuke countered before a dark smile pressed his lips. "What it felt like to me, but it felt like you were coming onto me."

"Maybe I was."

Dangerous situations were dangerous really, both knew the air around them was getting tense, but it wasn't uneasy tension, it was something else. Was Sasuke really able to have Naruto for himself now? He wasn't sure, so he was going to test his luck and push this relationship to the next stage.

Slowly moving his arms around Naruto's waist, he pulled the blonde closer, sitting up as he did so he could catch Naruto's soft lips in his own. There was no uncertainty from Naruto, which was a good sign. How much further was he allowed to go? Where was the limit?

Sliding one hand down Naruto's spine, he gently began to caress the small of his back, feeling Naruto's body arch slightly, either not liking the sensation or just reacting to something a little different. That was fine, there was only so far he could move. His fingers circled the area, barely touching the skin. There might have been a slight moan from the blonde-er-brunette…

Something pissed him off.

Breaking the kiss, he began to growl with annoyance. "When the hell are you going to remove that dye? It looks dreadful on you!" Pretty much saying, he preferred the blonde colour.

Naruto tugged at his hair, a little unsure with himself. "It's growing out… and besides, Kiba never told me how to remove it."

That name made him even angrier. "Surely it's not hard to look into this!"

"Well… I thought about it, but I didn't think I could remove it myself. And besides, asking Kiba to help me would make things worse! I mean, from what I've gathered, you've gotta remove it while in the shower… could you imagine what ideas he would get from that?"

If it was anything of what Sasuke was thinking, then yes, he could see perfectly how things would turn out. "I could help you remove it." It was a innocent answer… at first.

"Sensei, the same applies to you as well."

"I wouldn't molest you in the shower though!" molest was the best word, because he knew _Naruto_ would enjoy him touching him. He already knew how things would end up between Kiba and Naruto if the idiot tried anything.

"Of all the words to choose, you chose that one?"

"Isn't it true? You beat the crap out of him if he did anything funny."

"I would do that to _anyone_ who got in the shower with me and began to touch me inappropriately!"

Well that was a bummer. "That's harsh, are you saying you don't like me or something?"

Naruto's face went red, and he looked away. "I-I didn't say that."

_Ho… I see_. "Tell me Naruto, do you love me?"

Naruto refused to look at Sasuke. "I-I don't know."

"That's not helpful."

"I know it isn't. It's not meant to be."

_Asshole_.

"B-Besides, I don't even know if you really lo-"

Sasuke kissed him, proving he did. "I do love you."

"Oh…" well wasn't this awkward?

"I love you more than you know."

"Sensei… that's cheesy."

"But nevertheless, it's true."

They stared at each other, not exactly sure what to say next. Eventually, Naruto took a deep breath before speaking again. "Sensei, close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

So Sasuke did, not sure what to expect, but he remained passive. He heard a grumble from Naruto about something, but he didn't quite catch the words before something soft touched his lips in a hesitant kiss. It wasn't like before where Naruto did it without thinking, this time there was a lot of thought behind the kiss.

It was clear that Naruto really didn't think before he acted most of the time.

"There!" Naruto grumbled when he pulled away. "That's my answer."

It had been the same for Sasuke, so when the raven opened his eyes, he smiled brilliantly at Naruto. "I like that answer."

"Ugh! You're embarrassing!" Naruto went to move off of Sasuke's lap, but found his sensei's arms around him.

"I'm not that embarrassing, and besides, I really did like that answer," and with that Sasuke stolen another kiss, startling the blonde. Whether there was a limit or not, Sasuke was certainly going to have his way tonight.

* * *

**[1] A quote from xxxHolic and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles respectively.**

**Next chapters are a double update. Look out for them... and Sorry this was a little late =.=  
**


	28. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

What had _he_ _**done**_!

There was no explanation to what exactly happened last night!

_A kiss can lead to that?_

Covered in soft white sheets, Naruto winced a few times, burying his face deep into the bed with the pillow on top of his muddy-coloured brown hair. He sobbed a few times, not sure what to do with himself.

Sex was a normal part of life, but damn he never thought him or his sensei could get so intimate with each other.

_But I do… love him._

Even thinking of that made him freak out and blush and almost scream under the pillow.

Of course, if his sensei was in the room, he probably would have found Naruto reactions utterly amusing.

But still!

_Gaara, Jiraiya and Kiba will murder me! Not to mention what my father would think… then again, he already knows something's happening between us but to tell them I've had… no! I can't say the word! My life is over! What will people think if they discovered I had sex with my teacher, though he was my teacher last year and not this yeah but still! It would be a huge scandal for sure! I've totally ruined our lives by letting this happened but-_

"…Are you ok in there Naruto?"

Rather than sounding amused, his sensei sounded concerned. Of course, hearing his sensei's voice scared him witless. Pulling the pillow and covers away, he looked up at his sensei, tears welling in his eyes. Sasuke almost looked horrified, but didn't get a chance to say anything when a pair of arm flung around his neck and he was tackled by the blonde who moaned "sensei" in a devastated voice.

"W-What's wrong?"

"What happened to us," it was a wail that didn't quite suggest he'd really forgotten what happened last night.

"Well… I assumed what happened between us was s-"

"Don't say the word!"

"You asked what the hell happened last night!" Sasuke grumbled, standing up despite the weight of the second body. "Anyways, you need to have a shower."

"Why do I need to…?" Naruto didn't finish that sentence, he already knew why.

"Come along."

There was nothing more sensational than having a hot shower early in the morning. All the tension just washed away with the water, leaving him feeling more relaxed than anything. He sighed with content, hearing his sensei chuckle.

Glancing out of the glass shower window, he saw his sensei sitting down beside the shower, fixing his wrist watch. He only stayed to make sure Naruto didn't klutz out while he was in the shower, which was kind of him, really.

"Did you get a phone call this morning?" Naruto asked, remembering the sound of the phone buzzing under their pillow this morning. It had woken both of them up, but only Sasuke had climbed out of bed when he answered the mobile. "Who was it?"

"Neji, he wanted to let me know that Gaara's woken up. He's a little shaky, but he's fine."

Naruto felt a grateful that nothing was wrong with him. Naruto leaned against the wall, enjoying the feel of the water running down his back and the knowledge his brother was fine. "Can we go see him later?"

"Yeah, I'd like to ask him what happened between my brother and him, and about something else."

The ending tone concerned Naruto, but he closed his eyes and ignored it. It was just him after all. There was some noise but he wasn't sure what it was until cool hands slid around his body. Naruto almost freaked, but when a head rested on his shoulder, he just sighed with annoyance. "Did you have a shower this morning? You're going to get wet again."

"That's fine," Sasuke muttered, kissing Naruto's shoulder. "Do you… want to live here?"

This was something new. Naruto gave it a long thought, not sure what to really say to that. Living with his sensei? Wouldn't that just prove that they were really together, or was there something else that was bothering him? Naruto had a strange feeling he was awe of what Sasuke was getting at. "Maybe in the near future, but at the moment… I want to know more about my father."

There was a small smile on his sensei when he whispered "I understand" and both didn't speak again about it.

He had to dry himself again, but once Sasuke was dressed, he left the bathroom and moved to leave the bedroom and make breakfast. He wasn't sure if he expected it, but at the same time he grabbed the handle, someone else on the other side did. The door wouldn't budge for a moment before the weight on the other side disappeared and he opened the door.

Hinata stood on the other side, looking slightly befuddled. "You normally… don't wake up before I get here," she admitted weakly, then glanced at the bathroom door. "Is someone here?"

Wincing, Sasuke led her away from the bedroom. "I have a guest here, yes," he admitted, leading her into the kitchen. "You didn't need to stop by this morning, you should be at the hospital beside Neji. It's a pretty hard time."

"I know, but I needed to change your sheets. We can't just let you sleep in the same sheets for another week!"

Once again, he winced, which deserved a strange look from Hinata. "Hinata-san, you're too kind, but I'll change my sheets."

It was amusing that he could actually read her eyes as she worked out. "You slept with your guest…" she began, and then she smiled softly. "It's Naruto-kun isn't it?"

Sasuke paled then choked out "O-Of course not!"

"You can't fool me! Besides, isn't that his bag?"

Shit he didn't move his bag from the living room.

"Bingo."

_Damn it._

Naruto scrubbed at his hair, watching the brown dye drain down the sink. Sasuke's remark comment before he left made Naruto wonder exactly why Sasuke had placed the laundry detergent in the bathroom. With a quick warning, he found himself placing the small amount in his hair. It had lightened the shade of brown, but it was still going to take a while to get rid of.

Admittedly, in some respects, Naruto would miss being a brunette, but he would also be grateful to be blonde again. Blonde hair looked right on him, not brown (he wouldn't admit he looked like a second Kiba with brown hair actually!) so once it was gone, he would probably feel more like himself.

Running a little more detergent through his hair, Naruto wondered why Sasuke asked him to live here. Was their relationship almost on the level, or was Sasuke worried about something? With his brother stabbing Gaara, it was no wonder Sasuke was on edge.

Naruto sighed, pressing his forehead to the glass window as the water washed away more of the brown dye. He was worried about Gaara, _really_ worried, but what could he do.

After he was sure all the detergent was out of his hair, he srubbed in some shampoo before finishing off and climbing out. He dried himself down quickly before dressing in the spare change of clothes he had before he slipped out the bedroom and wandered down to the main room. Naruto didn't expect to see Hyuuga-chan here, but she reassured that she just got here and was making breakfast.

Maybe… if Naruto did decided to live here, that he could probably get used to living like this. Maybe… just maybe…

"Ho… so Sasuke-kun has a lover," smirking a snake like smile, Orochimaru leaned back in his chair, staring at the photograph of Sasuke in the café with a young blonde haired boy. His editor was also present in the photo, but she never concerned him. She was insignificant to his plans.

What about this blonde haired boy?

He was close to Sasuke's friend Gaara, whom he'd been using to spy on Sasuke got awhile now. So this boy was important to those two. He may come in handy in the near future.

Flipping through the photo's, he stared at one in particular. The photo was of the banquet they attended last year, Gaara and the blonde staring at each, the two Hyuuga siblings to one side, and a shocked Sasuke on the other.

Uzumaki Naruto, _ha_?

Yes, he was going to be useful for now, but before he attacked the boy closest to Sasuke, he thought it was time to step up the game. He glanced at the male Hyuuga sibling, recognizing his face.

The little bastard was still alive it seemed, but no matter, he needed to get rid of the elder Hyuuga anyways. If Hyuuga Neji was gone, what would Sasuke do?

He wondered… and then realised things were dangerous. Uchiha Itachi was onto him, but had yet to work out where he was, or what he was doing. He had no idea what Orochimaru had planned and had no idea how to find the two delinquents who disappeared without a trace.

Oh, he was aware that Orochimaru was behind it, but he just didn't know the relation.

Well he was about to find out.

Standing from his chair, he disappeared out his office through a back down that went down towards a basement. The room was filled with a red, sinister light that brought him great excitement and pleasure, knowing exactly where this room led.

Orochimaru was a sexual predator after all, so one could only imagine what he used these back rooms for. However, he wasn't going to use any of them today, instead he wandered down to a room where small cells were created, noticing a pale young black haired boy lean against one of the cells that contained another young man.

Sai and Kyuubi. Yes, this was going to work.

Sai's attention grabbed at the sound of Orochimaru's feet and began to get defensive. The hands clutching the bars tightened but Orochimaru was yet to see the face of Kyuubi. He didn't need to see it to guess. "Orochimaru…sama…" Sai's voice was a little distant, a little scared.

Orochimaru stopped a few centimetres away, only glancing once at Kyuubi before he turned all his attention on the other boy. "Sai-kun… I have a job for you to do." He did his best to not look anywhere but the boys face, but it was incredibly hard.

Both boys only wore that long shirt that did manage to hide some of their thighs only when they sat, otherwise one saw more than they liked. Sai drew his legs in slightly, defensive to what came next. "What… what is it?"

Smiling, Orochimaru pulled out from under his coat two profiles, and a gun, holding it out to him. Kyuubi's attention when sharp and he stood up. "What are you planning?" He demanded, glaring hard at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru ignored him. "The first profile is the man I want you to deal with, and once you do, bring the other one here."

Sai's hands trembled slightly as he took what was in Orochimaru's hands. He placed the gun down beside him and opened the first profile. Kyuubi sat back down in a spot where he could see what he was looking at.

Both boys paled.

Sai quickly opened the next one, his body tremble as tears welled. He knew both of these people, not very well, but he knew them. They were important to…

"You sick asshole!" Kyuubi screamed up at Orochimaru, his hands tight enough on the bars to make his knuckles pale. "What do you expect to get out of this?"

Orochimaru smiled sweetly at Kyuubi before drawing a second gun and pointing it at him. It silenced him and startled Sai. "D-Don't hurt him! I-I'll do it, j-just don't hurt Kyuu!"

That was more like it. "If you succeed in this, you two can leave," Orochimaru promised in a sickly sweet voice.

Sai nodded hesitantly and stood up, but didn't get far when Kyuubi's hand shot out form between the bars and grabbed Sai's leg. "Don't do this, Sai. Just get out of here, tell sensei what's happening."

Orochimaru growled, readying the gun at Kyuubi. "I would be careful boy."

Sai shakily shook his head and smiled weakly at Kyuubi. "I-It's alright. I-I'll be back before you know it" and managed to get out of Kyuubi's grip. "Y-You won't hurt him."

"I won't if you succeed," Orochimaru said pleasantly, lowering the gun. "In my office there's a change of clothes. We can't have you leaving looking like that," he said gently, resting a hand on Sai's shoulder. "There's also a piece of paper of the locations you'll find the two. And remember, if you screw up, I can't guarantee your brother's life."

Sai just nodded and ducked past him, clenching the profiles in one hand and the gun in the other. Despite Kyuubi's calls, Sai disappeared from the room. Orochimaru glanced at Kyuubi, smiling down at him. "I wouldn't get your hopes up, boy, because he's not going to succeed. So say your prayers, because once this is over, all that will remain is your corpse," and with his final warning, Orochimaru left.

As much as he enjoyed playing with Kyuubi and Sai, he knew he was going to have to get rid of him. Even if Sai succeed, they both were going to end up in the same place anyways.

After all, all he really desired was Uchiha Sasuke.

* * *

**Double update, enjoy and Merry Christmas. It'll be the 25th for the next update =.= I ran out of internet and I'm using the Library's internet xD**


	29. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

**Note: My suggestive to you all, list to the most saddest song you have while reading this chapter, just adds to the mood Recommendations? "Already Over" by Red, "Breathe no More" by Evanescence and "Slipped Away" by Avril Lavigne were the ones I listened to while writing this chapter. So sad :'(**

Checking he had every, Hyuuga Neji slipped his wallet into his pocket and flipped open his mobile. Just two hours to go and then Gaara could come back. He wouldn't admit he'd been pacing the apartment all night, still experiencing pains in his stomach. Things could have been worse, he knew that, but lucky the wound wasn't deep and Gaara was alright.

However, there was something bugging Neji. Sasuke had contacted him and told him what his brother had said. He didn't believe it, but when he confronted Gaara, he didn't deny it.

"_I've been spying on the Uchiha's for almost three years. You were in danger, I struck and deal with him, and that settled it. I didn't reveal too much to Orochimaru about Sasuke because I wanted to protect Sasuke too… but I didn't expect things to turn out like this."_

Gaara had been foolish, yes, but still…

Hearing Gaara wanted to protect him did make his heart flutter a little. He actually did mean something to Gaara… and that was very important to him.

Once he checked the time on his phone, he slipped that into his pocket and grabbed the keys on the table. He noise of the flap in the door opening made Neji turn around. It was the morning mail. Some residents in the building had postal boxes on the ground floor, but others insisted their mail was sent up to them. Neji didn't like the postal box idea and insisted on this approach.

Wandering over, he picked them up, grumbling at the bills in the pile before a blank envelope with his name on it caught him by surprise. There was no sender on it, no way to track back to that sent it over here.

Neji sighed and opened the envelope, wondering what it was. He opened the small folded paper and read what was on the letter.

'_You have two hours to get to the hospital to save your lover._

_You better be quick about it.' _

Frozen in time, Neji stared at the small message, feeling his heart pound in his chest. _What__was__that__meant__to__mean?_ Gaara was in danger.

Dropping the letter, he whipped his mobile out and dialled the number he knew all too well.

* * *

The annoyance of the phone ringing during breakfast pissed Sasuke off more than anything. Here he was, enjoying his breakfast with Hinata-san and Naruto when the blasted phone began to ring. Before he could announce that he would get it, Hinata was out her chair and at the phone before he could even blink.

"Uchiha Residence…" her voice drifted as she moved over to them, speaking calmly "hang on, I'll get him."

Hinata held the phone out to Sasuke. He mouthed who, but she didn't answer. "Uchiha speaking…" this time it was his voice that drifted. The voice on the other end was distressed. "C-Calm down, Hyuuga, tell me what's wrong…"

* * *

Neji threw his front door open, almost yelling into the phone "I got a letter stating if I didn't get to Gaara in two hours he'll be dead! Someone's threatening me!"

"_C-Calm down, was there a sender?"_

"Why the hell would a person threatening to kill someone I love would bloody tell me who he is!" Neji roared as he dashed down to the elevator. "Look, enough talk, you need to get there. It takes me almost an hour to get there, but you can reach the hospital quicker than me. Do me a favour and get over your hatred for him and get your ass there!"

"_Alright, __alright, __just __calm __down. __I__'__ll __get__…" _the voice was uncertain _"__I__'__ll __get __Itachi__'__s __help.__"_

Neji wasn't sure to accept it. "Alright, just hurry it up" and hung up. Just he moved to enter the elevator and man stepped out, completely dressed in black. He blocked Neji's route to get to the elevator. As he turned his head up to make a rude remark about them blocking his way he found his words caught and he took a few steps back. "O-Orochimaru…" came out in a choked reply as the man smiled down at him.

"Hello Hyuuga-kun," the man said pleasantly, taking a step forwards. "I heard about Subaku-san. Is he alright?"

_Why __now, __why?_ "H-He's fine," Neji replied, watching the lift doors close behind Orochimaru. "I-I was just about to go and collect him from the hospital."

"Is that so? I always thought patients weren't allowed to leave until at least ten o'clock in the morning."

Neji took another step back. "H-He's leaving earlier than planned…" Neji couldn't stop shaking the aura he was getting from Orochimaru wasn't pleasant. "W-What brings you here?"

"I came to see you, of course."

Oh god no. Neji stepped back again, unable to put any distance between him and Orochimaru as the man always countered with another step forwards. "H-How nice of you, b-but I'm in a rush," he admitted.

Suddenly, the footing under Neji disappeared and he fell to the ground, pain screaming in his leg. He clutched his left thigh realising blood was dripping from it. He stared up at Orochimaru but suddenly realised he was staring into a gun barrel. He'd been shot, but why? What was Orochimaru after? "Unfortunately for you, I can't let you leave," Orochimaru's voice was sickly pleasant, one that didn't hide the sadistic nature behind the mature features.

Neji clenched his leg harder, not sure what to do next. He needed to get away from Orochimaru, get in contact with Sasuke again and warn him. However, with his leg wounded like this, he knew he wasn't going to get far. His room was literally down the end of the corridor. Sure, on the tenth floor the rooms were bigger as they were for the richer class, sure that meant less doors, but that didn't mean the distance was any better. For the first time since he bumped into Orochimaru, he didn't feel afraid, because he suddenly became aware to why Orochimaru was targeting him.

_To draw Sasuke out._

But even though he thought about it, the bastard could get in contact with Sasuke anyways without using bait, but there was something else Orochimaru wanted. Neji bit down on his lip as he tried to move it, feeling the muscles pull where the hole in his leg was. It was excruciating, and tears welled in his eyes, but that didn't stop him from moving it. "I don't know what you want, but whatever it is, you've picked the wrong target."

"Do you think I'm scared of your family? The Hyuuga name means nothing, and is nothing without the Uchiha's continuously helping your family."

Well, that was fairly true for someone who knew the situation, but there was a bond there that Orochimaru wasn't aware of. That bond, that _connection_ was the Uchiha siblings. Like a domino effect, if something happened to one, it became the other ones duty to take down the cause. In most cases, that was Sasuke and with Itachi being protective as he was.

Neji's lips twisted into a feral smile that caught Orochimaru off guard.

"You don't get it, do you, _Orochimaru_. You don't _get__it__at__all_ to which you'll end up dealing with." It was most likely Orochimaru wasn't aware of Uchiha Itachi's _real_ job, which was bad news for him. "You think you'll get off scoot free? No, you'll probably end up in the grave for what you've done to those Sasuke loves. You'll never out run the Uchiha Siblings, Sasuke will always be determine to see your rotting corpse and Itachi will be the one to destroy you. The Uchiha family is far more influence that you can ever imagine!"

For a minute he felt like he'd won, but then Orochimaru smile, this time catching Neji off guard. He was either prepared or a freaking idiot. Orochimaru stepped forward and grabbed Neji's shirt, slamming him hard into the wall beside them. It caught Neji's breath, and he choked as the air escaped his body. "I know what those two are like, but they'll have no choice to give in. Itachi loves his brother too much, and at the idea of his blood running would kill him, wouldn't it? In all honestly, they only have each other, so don't you think I'm aware of it? That's why I'm going to take you all out one by one, starting with that boyfriend of yours. Itachi has made him weak, he's an easy target, and you'll never see his face again… unless you manage to escape and see only the corpse that remains."

No! Sasuke would reach Gaara in time! Neji knew it! "He won't die."

"Are you sure, you seem pretty confident."

"Two hours, Sasuke will be there in…" Neji's face dropped at Orochimaru's expression. It was a set up, for all they knew…

"That was to draw you out of home. My assassin is already at the hospital as we speak. It's a little too late to be relying on the Uchiha family now."

…_No__… __this __can__'__t __be __happening!_ Neji's head dropped as it washed over him. _Gaara __was __already __dead__… __no__… __that __couldn__'__t __be__… __no__… __Everything__'__s__… __no__…_

"You look so defeated, Hyuuga-kun? Does it hurt knowing your beloved is already swimming in a pool of his own blood? Everything you wanted to do, to achieve. You were working so hard to help Gaara, and now he's gone."

Tears ran down his face as the helpless feeling tightened around his heart. There was nothing he could do… nothing at all. Gaara… he couldn't protect Gaara again…

…He was really worthless…

How did he let this fall out of hand so badly? He should have been one step ahead… but he wasn't.

"That's it, admit defeat," Orochimaru used his free hand to tilted Neji's head up, smiling deliciously at the tears. "You truly are beautiful when you face is framed by tears. I promise… I'll make your death pleasant so you can return to his side."

Neji closed his eyes as Orochimaru brushed his lips against his neck. Sick and worn, Neji felt his body slowly falling apart. Gaara was dead… but that couldn't be right? Gaara… the Gaara he knew didn't just give up like that.

…_Gaara…_

Impulse soon took over him and he felt a strength he'd never felt scream through his veins.

…_Gaara!_

If he were Gaara, would he just sit back and let this happen?

_Gaara!_

Neji's lips curled to a dark smile which made Orochimaru step back to get a better look. That was the worse mistake the bastard good make. The impulse reached his brain and he snapped his eyes open before using his good leg, slamming his foot right into Orochimaru's crotch.

The force caused Orochimaru's hand to pull away. Neji landed painfully on his feet but bolted towards the elevator, whipping his phone out. He bashed his hand against the button a few times, hearing Orochimaru grown. Neji managed to slip into the elevator and close the door before Orochimaru could get there. He moved into a corner just as the gun shots went off, smashing through the steel door like it was paper. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he dialled the last number he called.

_Sasuke_.

The first time the phone didn't answer, making Neji curse and try a second time.

* * *

"Sensei, your phone's ringing," Naruto grabbed Sasuke's phone and held it out to him. They'd just reached the hospital but Sasuke hadn't grabbed his phone into time the first time. He took it from Naruto as he climbed out the car, answering it.

"Uchiha-"

A loud bang caught him off guard and made him pull the phone away from his ear. He got a glance at the caller ID.

"Neji?" Sasuke roared in the phone. "Neji, are you there?"

There was a noise, like a painful groan before a weak voice tried to laugh. _"…__I __hate __getting__… __dragged __into __your __shit, __Uchiha.__"_

The voice was weak, and it made Sasuke freeze. "Neji, what's wrong, what happened?"

"…_Shot__…"_ the voice barely could mumble the word. _"…__I__'__ve __been__… __shot__… __twice __now__…"_

The bang! "I'll get Itachi to go to your place. Hang on!"

Neji laughed bitterly over the phone. _"__The __bastard __stopped __the __lift; __it__'__s __only __minutes __before __he __gets __here.__"_

"Who?"

"_Orochimaru__… __decided __to __pay __me __a __visit__…"_ Neji sounded really broken. Sasuke began to move, racing towards the hospital. _"…__It __really__…__hurts__… __being __shot__…"_

"Where have you been shot," he asked Neji as he took Naruto phone despite the boys silent protest. He began to text Itachi with Naruto's phone. "Keep talking to me!"

"_In __the __leg__… __and __in__… __in __my __chest.__" __WHAT?__ "__Damn__… __didn__'__t __realise __how __much __blood __is __in __this __body.__"_ There was a scarping noise. _"__Looks __like __he__'__s __here, __Sasuke.__"_

"Don't hang up just keep talking to me, Neji!" Sasuke passed Naruto's phone back. "You hear me!"

"…_Orochimaru __said __Gaara__'__s __already __dead__…"_ the source of the real pain in his voice. _"…__Are __you __with __him?__"_

"I'm just entering now." Sasuke just realised Naruto disappeared somewhere. "I'm heading straight there, he's not dead, I promise you."

"…_I'm such an idiot… Orochimaru used that letter to draw me out… I'm sorry Sasuke… I'm the biggest idiot."_

"Don't say that," Sasuke said, hearing Neji's voice drifting. Shit, he was bleeding badly on the other end. "You're acting like you're about to die. You're not going to die! I won't let you!"

Neji laughed softly. _"__Sasuke__… __people __die __all __the __time__… __it__'__s __just __fucking __bad __luck __on __my __side __that __today __looks __grim__… __but __if __I __do__… __you__'__ll __protect __Hinata __and __Gaara __if __he__'__s __still __alive?__"_

"We'll protect him, Neji. Both of us, just like in the past." Sasuke said as he dashed through the hallways towards the elevator. "Itachi's on his way, he'll be there. You'll be fine."

"…_To __think__… __things __were __going __to __end __this __way__…"_ there was more noises and panic raced through him. _"…__Sasuke__…"_

"What?"

"…_Did I ever tell you there was a stage in my life where all I thought about was you? I thought you deserved to know…"_

Sasuke took a deep breath just as the elevator door closed. "I don't… quite understand, Neji."

"…_Idiot, it's a confession. Before I fell in love with Gaara I was in love with you… just as you'd been in love with me…"_

Sasuke's breath caught and his chest began to hurt. "I know… I know you did, I'm sorry."

"…_What for?"_

"For never telling you."

Neji's laugh was bitter. _"__Idiot, __there __was __no __reason __to __be __sorry, __we __both __found __the __most __amazing __people __in __our __lives.__"_ More loud screeches. _"…__Sasuke__… __promise __me__… __don__'__t __cry.__"_

_No!_ "Don't hang up, Neji!"

"…_I'm sorry… I'm not going to make it this time…"_

"_**Neji!**_"

"…_I__'__m __sorry __Uchiha__… __I__'__m __so __sorry__…"_ and there was another loud bang before the line went dead.

…Everything was falling apart now…

* * *

"Are you ok?" Naruto asked a young man sitting against the hospital wall, watching the man look up at him with bloodshot eyes. He looked like he'd been crying for ages, and Naruto wondered if he lost anyone. "My names Naruto, what's yours?"

There was something in the eyes of the boy that almost screamed out that the two knew each other… but where? Naruto waited before holding his hand out to help but the boy stood up and ran away before Naruto could do anything. He ran into the hospital and disappeared. Naruto frowned and looked back down to where the boy was sitting, seeing something he wished he hadn't before he took chase.

_Impossible!_

* * *

"What the hell do you mean I can't see him!" Sasuke's voice was on the edge of hysteria. This was just ridiculous! It was like he was fighting against the freaking world! "He needs to leave, right now! His life is in danger!"

"I understand Uchiha-sama, but the hospital rules are strict. Ten o'clock, no earlier than that."

"Come on, that half an hour away. Can't you just pass a blind eye on it?" Sasuke was really desperate. "_Please!_ You have to let me take him now!"

"I can't do that," the nurse countered, finally brushing him off.

"Then I demand to speak to Tsunade-san!"

"She's in a meeting."

_WHAT __THE __FUCK!_ "Pull her out."

"Uchiha-sama, if you keep this up, then we will have to remove you from the hospital."

_Well __fuck __you __too_, Sasuke thought childishly before storming away. "You'll regret this!" Sasuke growled before storming towards Gaara's room. "Subaku, are you finished packing?" Sasuke roared as he stormed in, startling the red haired who was sitting on his bed.

"I didn't expect you here," Gaara admitted, standing up and coming about. He looked concerned all of a sudden. "Sasuke, you're crying."

"Tell me what else isn't new," Sasuke snapped before slamming his hand over his mouth. He had to calm down, he had to."

Gaara's hands rested on Sasuke's shoulders. "What happened?"

Sasuke shook his head and didn't answer.

"Sasuke, where's Neji?"

The tears fell harder and Sasuke lost composure, collapsing to his knees. Suddenly, Gaara realised something was wrong.

"What happened?"

"I-I don't know… Neji called this morning saying you were in danger so Naruto and I rushed over here, and then I just got a phone call from him. Orochimaru sent him the warning to draw him out… and… and…" Sasuke couldn't continue.

Gaara knelt down, not sure what to do. "Alright, let me get my things and we'll leave. We'll go straight there."

Sasuke came here instead of going to Neji. That would have killed him inside. Sasuke nodded and stood up, wiping the tears away. "I'm going to argue it out with the nurses again," he said weakly before disappearing out the room. He moved swiftly back down towards the nurses, slammed his hands down onto the bench and spoke out in a demanding voice.

"I'm taking Subaku Gaara _now_, and if you dare try to stop me, you can deal with my father's rage!"

Now that caught the attention of most people. As much as Sasuke hated using the power of his father, he knew he had to now or something bad would happen. The nurse who he'd been arguing with looked a little confused before another nurse pushed her out the way. "You'll have to fill this out, Uchiha-sama," the nurse said handing him a form.

Finally, someone was listening to him. He was just about to reach for a pen when a presence walked past him and made him shiver. He turned to face it, catching the back of a young man who wondered down the corridor. There was something about him that was strangely familiar and for a moment, Sasuke couldn't place it.

Then he saw the man turn into Gaara's room. Before the nurse could explain anything to him, he was bolting back down the corridor.

* * *

"Subaku Gaara?" a new voice summoned his attention and Gaara turned to face the face. The man was young, and looked rather unsteady on his feet.

He also looked familiar. "Yes?"

"I came here to deliver you something," the young man said before he revealed a gun from somewhere. Gaara's legs turned to jelly. _Oh__shit!_

"Sai!" a voice made the man jump before the hallway was filled with a puffed out Uchiha. "Sai, I know he's making you do this, but you need to stop."

The young man, Sai, as Sasuke called him looked confused. "Why's sensei here?"

"That doesn't matter. You don't need to do this."

Sai shook his head, tears staining his face. "You don't understand sensei… Kyuu… He's got Kyuu sensei. I have to save him."

"But at the price of another's life, Sai? He wouldn't want you to do something like this," Sasuke said, stepping forward. "Please Sai, we can help you get Kyuubi-kun back, but you need to put the gun away."

Sai was trembling viciously, not sure what to do with himself. _He__'__s__so__scared,_ Gaara realised all of a sudden. _He__'__s __really __frightened._ Gaara stood there for a moment trying to remember the boy in front of him. _Sasuke__'__s __past __student__… __the __boy __with __the __mental __issues__… __I __remember __him__… __vaguely __remember __him._ Gaara stepped forward, moving cautiously towards the boy.

He was just about the gently place his hand on the boys shoulder when the boy screamed out. "_Nooo!__"_

The next thing Gaara was aware of was the sound of a gun going off.

* * *

**Horrible cliffhanger is horrible. What happened to Neji? What happened to Sasuke and Gaara... and Sai? What about Naruto? Hmmmm...**


	30. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

How long had he been here for? He'd heard a gun go off, shattering through the metal doors and smashing his phone in his hands. It caught the edge of his ear, but the second shot pierced his right shoulder. He was a total mess…

…but he wasn't dead yet.

Neji's breaths were weak, one hand clutching his chest where he'd been shot, his body resting on the left shoulder. After he'd been shot again, there was loud noises, more gun fire before everything suddenly went silent. The metal doors hadn't opened, there were no voices, and everything was silent except for the distant sounds of police cars. How long would it take before anyone realised he was here?

Would he be dead… by the time someone found him.

When did the tears begin?

It hurt, it really hurt and it was hard to breath.

He couldn't feel anything below his knee in his left leg.

His shoulder was numb as well.

He was prepared for death.

Just as he went to close his eyes, a voice spoke out, startling him.

"Is anyone there?" a voice called out, but Neji couldn't raise his voice. The lift was jammed, and he wondered if the police realised this and went to the source. "If anyone is there, please speak out."

What could he do, his throat was dry from screaming in pain. He pulled his arm away from his chest and smacked it hard against the elevator wall, hoping they heard him.

Foot steps approached before someone called out. "There was a noise in here. We need to get the doors open."

Neji almost smiled as he leaned against the wall, whoever was outside was going to deliver the final judgement.

It took a while before someone managed to get the door open. The room filled with smoke before a man in a fire suit came in. "One man down," the man called out, coming over to him and kneeling down. "He's conscious too," before he turned all his attention on Neji. "Come, we've gotta get you out."

He wanted to speak, but he just nodded, letting the man pull him up and wrap his good arm around their shoulder. There was a wince from him as the muscles strained to move, but he did his best. Ten flights of stairs… nothing wrong with that, right?

* * *

Sedated, they could finally handle things by themselves. "Sensei, you're going to be ok, right?"

Sasuke grumbled as the nurse bandaged his arm up. "It doesn't matter, it just grazed me. We've gotta get to the apartment buildings, Neji's in danger."

Gaara nodded, before glancing at Sai who was unconscious against the wall. Sai had accidentally shot Sasuke, though the bullet only grazed the top of his shoulder. He'd fallen into panic before Gaara held him down. The nurses rushed in and gave a healthy dosage of a sedative which knocked the black haired boy out. Naruto had joined them just moments ago, looking panicked and upset. Naruto was now next to Gaara, shaking with adrenaline. Almost out of fright, Gaara gently rested his hands on Naruto's shoulders and pulled him into a hug. He just couldn't stop shaking.

_He's never seen the darkness of our world… but we've faced this before. Damn it, why did he have to get dragged into this?_ It was clear Sasuke didn't think of the dangers of bringing Naruto here.

_Maybe Naruto was the one who forced the idea on Sasuke?_

As the thought crossed his mind, a buzzing noise caught their attention. It was Sasuke's phone. He answered quickly. "Itachi-nii-san, is Neji-" he was cut off for a moment, his almost fear-stricken face changing with relief. "He's here? Is he alright?"

"_I don't know the details, he's been taken into surgery. From the looks of things, it's critical. I'm tracking Orochimaru now. The bastard got away from us and led us away from where Neji was. Maybe it was a good thing because the fire-fighters were on the scene at with Neji moments later."_

"Do you think we can go down there?"

"_You'll be waiting a while,"_ Itachi sounded tired, maybe a little cautious.

Sasuke glanced towards his guests and sighed. "I've got a job for you to do. Can you get someone to keep an eye on-"

"_I already have a team heading up to meet you. The four of you will be escorted back to your place. You are not, under any circumstances to leave your house. No one knows where Orochimaru is, and if my predictions are correct, he's got that student of yours. Kyuubi-kun, I think it was."_

"Yeah, Sai was telling us here."

"_Thought so. I'll deal with the rest. Once Neji's recovered, I'll have him escorted to your place."_

"And Hinata?"

"_Should already be there. I contacted her before calling you… the only question is… Uzumaki-kun's father."_

Yeah, this was going to be hard. "I'll deal with that. Keep me posted," and hung up. "Itachi's dealing with this. Neji's in surgery, he's in a critical condition but Itachi has yet to receive the details. The four of us are heading back to my place and are not to move until Itachi gives the ok."

"Very well, but…" Gaara looked uneasy for a moment.

"What happened between the two of you wasn't your fault, it was Orochimaru's fault."

"I have nothing against your brother drawing a knife on me _and_ stabbing me, but that doesn't mean I don't trust him completely. Can we be sure your brother is sane enough to handle things?"

Sasuke had to think about that. "I'm confident he'll be fine. Right now, we need to put both of these brats to bed."

Gaara only nodded in agreement. Naruto hadn't stopped shaking and he wondered if Naruto was even listless at the moment. "Something's wrong."

"He's scares shitless. His sensei was shot, his brother was stabbed, Neji's in surgery… he's probably over thinking and upsetting himself."

"Should we…" he didn't want to sedate Naruto, but this was serious.

Sasuke glanced at the nurse who nodded in agreement. It was for the best.

* * *

"I'm _fine_," Naruto said several hours later after waking up. He was still groggy, and with Gaara and Sasuke hovering over him, he became worked up and worried again. Sasuke had been _shot_, right before his eyes. Never did he think something as scary as that was going to happen to the person he cared for the most.

And then there was Gaara.

Gaara offered a cup of water. "Drink, you're probably dehydrated. Sasuke, keep an eye on Sai, he might wake up soon."

"The nurse gave him a heavy dosage," Sasuke said but nodded in understanding. He gave the two brothers privacy.

"I didn't think Sasuke would give up so easily," Naruto admitted as he took a sip of water. "He normally argues."

"He's worried about Sai too, Naruto. You didn't see the moments that led to the shooting. He was shitting himself, utterly terrified of what he was doing."

Naruto nodded, understanding. He probably would be too. "And Hyuuga-sensei? Is he ok?"

Gaara's face was strained and he shook his head. "It doesn't look good, Naruto. He was shot in the chest, catching part of his lungs. I'm surprised he even managed to call Sasuke and talk to him for as long as he did."

"But he will survive, right?"

How could he tell Naruto that the chance of Neji surviving the operations was just as high as winning the lotto? Neji was in a _serious_ condition, worse than what he had been in. however, Gaara just couldn't bring himself to upset Naruto any more than he already was. "We'll see, we'll see."

They were silent for a moment before Naruto reached out and brushed the tears from Gaara's face. It surprised Gaara he was even crying. "Nii-san… are _you_ ok?"

Did Naruto me emotionally, mentally or physically? Gaara felt his self control slipping, but he didn't plan on getting Naruto upset so he stood up and walked away from him. "I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine."

No, he wasn't fine at all! Did he look fine? "I'm alright, I just… need rest."

"Come here" he heard Naruto pat the bed and turned around in confusion. "Come here," Naruto said, sounding slightly desperate. They both needed company. They were both stressed and upset… they needed each other.

* * *

He wouldn't admit he was jealous when he slipped into the his room to find Gaara resting his head on Naruto's lap. The blonde was awake, and gently stroking his brother's hair while Gaara slept on his knees. "How is he?" Sasuke asked as he pulled up a chair and sat down near the bed.

"He's been crying, but he's trying to deny it," Naruto admitted before looking at Sasuke. "Is their any news on Hyuuga-sensei's surgery?"

Sasuke shook his head, his tired face reminding Naruto of what Gaara had looked like before he fell asleep. He leaned back in the chair and rubbed his hands over his face. "Itachi contacted me not too long ago though. They bust into Orochimaru's hideout, but he was no where in sight. They managed to get Kyuubi out as well, and he's recovering from malnutrition and shock. This has been a really scary ordeal for them as well. Sai and Kyuubi will be sent into hiding tomorrow afternoon once Kyuubi gets some rest."

"That's good… but what happened to Orochimaru?" Naruto asked nervously. "He's still out there."

"Where ever he is, he couldn't be far. Itachi managed to land a shot in both his arm and foot. He couldn't have gotten away far without leaving a trail…"

"Yet he managed to disappear…" Naruto whispered. This man was just as dangerous as everyone was saying. Appearing and disappearing without leaving any traces to where he where hiding. For all they knew… he could be watching them. "Sensei… I'm really scared."

"Tell me about it…" Sasuke whispered, trembling slightly. "I'm sorry, I dragged you into my mess. I should have been more careful but…"

"It doesn't matter because we'll stop Orochimaru sooner or later!"

Sasuke chuckled at Naruto's sudden confidence. "Yeah, and we'll beat him to a bloody pulp for all the shit he's put us through."

They went silent before they both heard Naruto's phone vibrate. He did his best not to distrub Gaara as he answered it. "Naruto speaking…"

"_Where the hell are you?"_

He hadn't heard Kiba's voice for a while now. "At Sasuke's… what's wrong?"

"_That man we saw… Sasuke's brother I think, was roaming around and he's got this scary aura around him. Not to mention the media have been broadcasting that Hyuuga-sensei is in hospital with __gun wounds__. Dude, freaky shit is happening, and I'm worried about you."_

"I'm sorry, but I'm fine…" Naruto sighed when he noticed Gaara open his eyes. "Kiba, I'll talk to you later."

"…_I want to see you… to know you're safe."_

Naruto sighed again and looked at Sasuke before replying. "I'll come to your place. Stay put… I won't be long." He slipped from the bed despite Gaara and Sasuke's dark look. Naruto hung up and stated to them carefully "I won't be long. I need to check up on Kiba."

"Can't he come here?" Gaara said at the same time as "I'll come with you."

"I thank you both for your worry, but I have to go alone…" Naruto scratched his head before changing his clothes. "Regardless to whether you like him or not, Sasuke, he's still my best friend."

"He might try to steal you away from me," Sasuke grumbled while Gaara gave him a funny look.

"Is this that kid you told me about?" Gaara asked and Naruto only nodded.

"Give me an hour or two, if I'm not back… then you can worry."

"But it's dark."

"I'm old enough to take care of myself," Naruto spoke in a frustrated tone before storming out the room. "Two hours, then panic!" and left them despite their protests. _I have to end things in my own way._

* * *

"You're alone?" Kiba asked as he let Naruto into his house, looking a little surprised that Naruto turned up by himself.

"I could say the same for you. Where are your mum and sister?"

"At a party… something about underwear or something," Kiba muttered as he shut the door, watching Naruto as he sat down on the couch. "Is it me or have you aged in the last few days."

"A lot has happened," Naruto admitted, but didn't even hint at what it was. "Three days ago, I was still Naruto, today I don't even know who I am."

"What happened?" Kiba asked with genuine concern, sitting down next to him.

"I can't tell you, Kiba. You'll just end up in danger," Naruto admitted softly as he stripped his jacket and shivered. "I feel cold, no matter how many layers I put on, I just keep feeling cold."

"Naruto, you shaking severely, tell me what happened" Kiba grabbed Naruto's hands, which startled the blonde. "Can't you tell me anything, like why Hyuuga-sensei was in hospital or why Sasuke's brother wanted to talk to you?"

Naruto shook his head, feeling really bad that he couldn't tell Kiba what was going on. He had to keep his promise that he made to himself. He wasn't going to drag his loved ones in this who already weren't in the mess. "Kiba, tell me what's bothering you? Why did you want to see me?"

"I'm scared for you, Naruto, really scared that you're going to get hurt," Kiba looked really sad and scared in the same instant. "I just want to protect the one I love."

Ugh, here we go again! Naruto shook Kiba's hands away and moved away from the couch, pulling his arms around him tightly. "Kiba, you've gotta understand… I don't love you. Maybe I'm being selfish and keeping you close because you're my best mate, but you've gotta understand… I'm in love with Sasuke."

"You're in love with an Uchiha… and look what happens to those close to him, Naruto! Hyuuga is in _hospital_ for crying out loud!" Kiba jumped to his feet, waving his hands around angrily. "Naruto, you're going to get killed, I know it."

"I'm not scared about that…" Naruto turned back to Kiba, noticing Kiba's shocked look. Naruto looked like he was death himself… where had he gone? "I saw Sasuke shot at… Kiba… I've seen what happens when someone pulls the trigger… I'm not scared…"

"Liar, look at you. You're practically a living corpse! Naruto, _please_, just leave Sasuke! Even if you can't be with me, you need to leave him before-"

"Kiba…" Naruto pressed one hand to his face while he raised the other to silence him. He closed his eyes, feeling ill. "I'm not scared to die… I scared to see you and sensei hurt… I scared I'm going to lose you, sensei, Hyuuga-sensei, Gaara and dad. I'm scared Hinata-san is going to get hurt. She's crying, Kiba, she's _crying_ because her big brother is most likely going to die. He was a mess, Kiba… a total mess. Bullet wounds in his knee, shoulder and chest, he was barely breathing when he was rushed into surgery… and she was crying… and that was all she could do as she watched it. That hurts the most, Kiba… seeing someone you love and care for cry like that."

Kiba listened quickly, not sure what to say as Naruto began to pace the room.

"They had to sedate me, Kiba. I was… I'm too scared to think how I looked. They weren't going to do it, but when I saw Hyuuga-sensei… when I saw Hinata-san screaming and crying… it was too much. It's etched into my mind. I can hear her screaming. I can just see Sasuke running over to her to hold her back; I can still feel Gaara's strong arms around me, his quick words as he shouted for help. I don't remember much… but then I can hear myself… the floor changed colours drastically, I think I must have fainted for a moment, and then… there's nothing. It's cold, so cold in that place. Even though I'm awake, it's still so cold and lonely…" tears dribbled down his cheeks from his eyes. "Kiba… I'm awfully cold."

Kiba was there seconds afterwards as Naruto's knees gave out on him. He clutched onto Kiba, sobbing and weeping. Kiba remained silent as he stroked his hair, holding him up and close to him. He was warm… and Naruto was freezing. Why was he so damn cold? "You need to sit, come on," Kiba led him out of the main living room and too his room, setting Naruto down on his bed. "Are you ok?"

"Do I really look ok?" Naruto whispered before flopping down on Kiba's bed, shivering. "Kiba… do you know what's it like living with the death threat hanging over your head? I don't know what to do… I'm horrified of what's going to happen… but I'm just as scared to lose everyone I love."

"I won't go down without a fight," Kiba promised as he sat down on the edge of the bed, gently resting a hand on Naruto's leg. It was there for comfort, and nothing else. "Trust me, Naruto. I want to protect you."

"Nothing can… I was always going to be in danger because of who I am… I'm Namikaze Minato's _son_, and to make matters worse, my mother was a Yankee and was well known for her ways. I'm always going to be in danger because of who my parents are…"

"That's not true… your father wasn't a bad person, nor was your mother."

"That doesn't mean anything… they were living with a noose around their neck all the time… and so am I."

Kiba growled with annoyance, feeling like he was talking to a broken record. "Naruto!" He grabbed Naruto's hand and pulled him up before slapping his hands against his cheeks and made him look at him. "I refuse to let you get killed, do you understand?"

Naruto stared at him for a moment before tears welled in his eyes again. Before Naruto had a chance to talk, Kiba dropped his hands over his shoulders and leaned closer, lightly brushing his lips against Naruto's. Naruto tensed, but didn't move (more like, _couldn't_ move) as he waited for the assault of Kiba's lips…

…but it never came. Instead, Kiba pulled him forwards and cuddled him gently against him. "Idiot… I'm not going to ever give up on you. I love you, and I will always protect you. Never forget that, ok?"

"Kiba…" Naruto whispered before feeling his heart pull lightly. He was in love with Sasuke… but he did have feelings for Kiba too… stronger than he thought they were as well. Kiba was very special to him, his first friend in middle school even. Where everyone backed away because of the name Uzumaki, Kiba had been the first one to introduce himself to Naruto. There was never any formality between the two, and they became friends almost instantly. Kiba did so much for him, and though Naruto came here intending to finally push Kiba out of his life, he felt he just couldn't. He needed Kiba… more than he ever thought possible.

Kiba was someone Naruto could talk to about things he couldn't tell Sasuke. He relied on Kiba more than he really relied on Sasuke… and that was a frightening thought. Kiba was wedged in his heart, just like Sasuke…

…There were only three people he held closest to his heart.

_Gaara,  
Sasuke,  
and Kiba._

Nothing was going to change that. Not now, not ever.

"Can't you just… for one night… be mine?"

Now that was pushing it, however Naruto found himself laughing slightly. Kiba was being modest… it was so unusual really. "I can't, I promised Gaara and Sasuke two hours. They'll begin to panic if I'm not back after that."

Kiba grumbled at Sasuke's name and held Naruto tighter. "I'll call him and tell him you're staying with me."

"Inuzuka…"

"You never call me by my surname."

"Because you never let me do so, because you'd hit me every time I did."

"And I will do so if you do it again."

They both laughed, the air growing light for the first time that evening. Naruto really needed someone to cheer him up… he really did want to stay and talk to Kiba about all the fun things they were going to do after this was over, but Naruto knew his time was growing short. It was at least a half an hour bus trip from here to Sasuke's mansion. He had to say goodbye, but just got a little longer, he leaned on Kiba, feeling all the tension slip away for the first time that day.

"Will Hyuuga-sensei be alright" Kiba finally asked, sounding a little off putting for changing the subject.

"I don't know… Gaara is acting like he's not going to make it… and he was shot… in the chest."

Kiba winced at Naruto's tone. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because Hyuuga-sensei was Gaara's lover, wasn't he? It must be hard for both of you… and Sasuke as well."

Naruto nodded, burying his face in Kiba's shoulder and sighing. "I have to go, Kiba."

Kiba's grip tightened a little. It wasn't because Kiba wanted to let him go, but rather a defensive act. Kiba didn't want to lose Naruto. "I know… but a little longer…"

"…Kiba…"

Kiba closed his eyes and buried his face in Naruto's shoulder. "Don't die… you hear me. Don't go dying on me."

Tightening his grip on Kiba's shirt, Naruto nodded gently, feeling tears well up in his eyes again. "I won't die, I promise."

Kiba leaned back, running a hand over Naruto's lips. "Can I tell you one more time what you mean to me?"

There was a hesitant moment between the two before Naruto sighed. What was he going to do with him? "I guess… you can tell me what I mean to you."

Now it was Kiba's turn to hesitant before he finally said gently "I love you." Naruto expected things to end there, but Kiba gently hooked his hand around Naruto's chin and made him look him in the eye before gently saying a second time "I love you."

Where Sasuke would say the words, Naruto found his heart missed a beat, but with Kiba…he just wasn't sure what you would call this feeling. Maybe it was the same, maybe it wasn't. However, he quickly realised what it was when Kiba pressed his lips against him and made him lean backwards, using his arms as supports as Kiba stole a kiss from him.

It was love…

…But it wasn't love.

It was there, somewhere in the middle.

Naruto intended to push Kiba away, but found his body too weak to do so. It was giving Kiba false hopes, but he didn't pull away for the simple reason…

…He didn't want to lose his best friend.

Gently pulling away, Kiba stared down at Naruto who stared back up, looking more uneasy than shocked.

"Stay… please stay here with me… just for tonight."

"I don't want to give you false hope, Kiba."

"I don't want anything but your company."

"That kiss suggested otherwise."

Kiba blushed brightly and as he did it hit Naruto in the face.

…Kiba was still a virgin.

Well, wasn't this awkward? "I-I'm not asking for sex!"

"Ok, ok! Don't freak out on me!" Naruto shrieked back before laughing at Kiba's red face. "Oh dear god, Kiba, you make my day."

"Shut up, are you staying or not?"

"I can't!"

"Sure you can!"

"Why not come back with me?"

Kiba's face scrunched up tightly before he groaned. "That means I have to see Sasuke."

"Do you want to spend time with me or not?"

"Of course!"

"THEN SUCK IT UP!" Naruto bellowed before shaking Kiba off him. "Let your mum know you're coming back with me. She'll forgive you."

Kiba pouted on the bed before sighing and standing up. "Alright… I'll come back with you."

Naruto smiled before excusing himself to use the toilet. He quickly sent a text to Sasuke to tell him that Kiba was coming back, but held the fact the reason Naruto suggested it was because he wanted to protect Kiba…

…And Sasuke's place was the safest place he knew.

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**A/N: Who feels sorry for Kiba nows? Anyways, did you all have a good Christmas and New Year? We did here in Aus! I hope you enjoyed this lastest installment =D**


	31. Chapter 29

**Only In Fiction Part 2 – Publication Blunders**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

**Note:**** The awkward moment when you fail to remember that Sasuke and Neji are teachers. So, to make up for things, they both took the year off teaching xD**

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Kiba ended up spending the night at Sasuke's place, despite Sasuke really not wanting the brunette staying with them that night. However, Naruto insisted, Gaara agreed it was for the best and in the end Sasuke was outnumbered and too tired to argue with them. Hinata, who had turned up not long after Naruto left joined them in the living room where they set up spare mattress in a star shape form (Naruto's brilliant idea) and ended up sleeping near each other.

It took Sasuke most of the night to realise why Naruto set this up for them. Here they were, three (or four if you politely added Hinata) of the most important people to Naruto. It was well planned on the blonde's behalf because he could be with everyone he loved and not have to worry about it too much. They were all safe and sound here at Sasuke's place.

Sasuke had to admit, he liked the blonde's way of thinking, but even though that should have cheered him up, he laid there awake and unable to sleep. He was restless and worried about Neji because no one knew the situation, not even Hinata knew what was going to happen to her brother.

Somehow, it was bothering him more than the rest of the group.

Ok, he'll take that back.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard someone sit up. He glanced quickly to see who it was, acknowledging that Gaara seemed just as restless as he was. He wrapped his arms around his knees for a moment, sighing before he stopped up and moved over to the window. Sasuke watched him for a long moment before he joined him at the window.

"Can't sleep?" Sasuke asked, opening the door quietly so they both could talk privately outside.

"I could say the same," Gaara said as they sat down on the steps, staring up at the half moon. "I'm just freaked, what if Neji doesn't pull it through?"

Sasuke wouldn't admit he was surprised to know Gaara was seriously concerned. "I know how you feel. Just sitting here waiting for the news is painfully long, but even Hinata's getting some sleep, maybe you should too."

"But how can I went all I could hear was you restlessly moving about," Gaara pointed the obvious out, making Sasuke wince. Yeah, he was pretty restless. "Why do you think Naruto brought the brunette here?"

"You mean Kiba? Well, they're best friends, Gaara, extremely close."

"Yet you don't seem to like him."

"No, it's not that I don't like him, it just he has feelings for Naruto too, basically, he's a rival," Sasuke admitted as he glanced back into the living room. The room was lit up with the brightness of the moon, and despite that, the three remaining slept peacefully. "He's caused some terror for both of us too."

"Terror?" Gaara asked, though he suddenly realised what he meant. "Ah, so he's the boy then," Gaara said with a gentle smile that startled Sasuke. It was true, Gaara did think highly of Naruto. "So, that matter was cleared up?"

"Yeah, we exposed the truth. It was sorted out and Kiba declared him is arch-nemesis and life returned to the way it was… mostly."

"Until now," Gaara whispered, clutching one of his legs. "I'm going to make him pay, Sasuke. I'm going to kill the bastard when I see him next."

"No!" Sasuke said firmly, startling Gaara out of his daze. "He's after me and the two of you have already been hurt. When Neji is awake, I want you both out of town for awhile. It's not like Neji's teaching this year, and besides, the two of you should spend some quality time together."

"But-" Gaara was about to angrily protest when Sasuke shook his off.

"Please Gaara. I don't ask for favours, but please, for you safety and Neji's, just do as you are told."

"And what about Naruto and his friend? What about Hinata-san and your editor?"

He had seen Sakura for awhile, actually. "Take Hinata with you of it's a concern. I'm going to contact Jiraiya about this and get him to get the boys out before things get worse. I don't want to lose anyone, because I don't want to feel like this."

"You're being selfish."

"I know I am, but if it's to protect you all, then hell I'll do so," Sasuke stood up and moved into the garden, admiring the roses in the moonlight.

Gaara sighed and stood up as well, joining him by the roses. "This isn't your problem anymore, Sasuke. He's directly attacked Neji. This is as much as my problem as it is yours."

"He attacked Neji to provoke me, not you. Remember, he was going to have you killed… and if I can guess what he was planning to do to Neji was to kidnap him rather than kill him. Neji dragged himself into the danger, and when Orochimaru realised this, he attacked to kill." Sasuke sighed, poking a rose sadly. "I don't know his next move, Gaara, and I'm scared that this place won't be a sanctuary anymore. He knows where I live, and he'll attack here sooner or later… I rather face him alone rather than living with the constant fear that everyone I love is in grave danger."

"I won't leave, Sasuke. Not for my sake, but for Neji's."

Oh really? Sasuke stood straight and faced him, staring into the green pools of Gaara's eyes. There was a fire to fight in Gaara's eyes, and it was clear he wasn't going to back down.

They stared at each other before Sasuke's phone rang. Sasuke raced into the room and answered it before it woke anyone up…

…Sadly, everyone stirred at it's shrill. Groaning, he answered the phone. "Uchiha Residence."

"_Want the good news or the bad news first?"_ It was Itachi.

"I don't know, just tell me," Sasuke grumbled, giving Hinata and Naruto a apologetic look about the phone.

"_Alright, I have several lots of good and bad news for you. First lot, Neji is out of surgery and he's alright. Tsunade head the team when she found out it was Neji, so everything went ok. He'll be intensive care for a long time, but that will be fine. The bad news is… he can't talk, at all."_

"What you mean he can't talk?" Sasuke hissed, not wanting the others hear him say that.

"_Tsunade reckons it's from shock more than anything. When he woke, we tried to get him to explain the situation, but he wasn't able to reply to us. It shocked him more than it shocked us. The other bad news is that all the nerves in Neji's leg are dead… he'll never walk again."_

His heart hurt, a lot. "Alright, what's the other news for me?"

"_Well, you know how we found Kyuubi and that he's recovering, well, we got some details about what Orochimaru was scheming. He sent Sai to kill Gaara but kidnap Neji as you guessed. Orochimaru was planning on bringing you out of hiding and nab you but not after killing Neji. It seemed he was planning on poisoning Neji with something, but we can't find the details of the poison."_

"So you got some facts about what he was scheming… is there something else?" Sasuke asked feeling like Itachi was holding something back.

"_He knows about Naruto, Sasuke. I swear to god, if you leave that boy alone I'll kick your ass because it'll just provoke his father."_

"And…?"

"_You've never seen him in a bad mood, Sasuke. Trust me, when he gets angry, you know you've just entered hell. Keep an eye on Naruto, as well as Gaara, Neji and Hinata, and anyone else who may be in danger. Keep everyone at your place until we work out where you can all go that's safe."_

Actually, it just hit him but Sasuke wasn't sure about mentioning it… because of his father. "There's the Uchiha Clan Residence… that place is impossible to break into."

He didn't need ex-ray vision to know Itachi tensed at that. _"And what are we going to do about father?"_

Yeah, what about him? "Itachi, it's the safest place I know. Sure, our father is delusional and somewhat fucked up, but it is the safest place I know."

Itachi sighed on the other end. _"I'll look into it, but stay put. If you need anything, contact me."_ And with that, Itachi hung up.

Sasuke placed the receiver down and turned about. Everyone had his eyes on him for all different reasons. Sasuke sighed and choose to sit down on the couch in front of the group before talking. "I've just got word on the situation. Itachi said Neji's out of surgery and is intensive care, and he'll be fine. Tsunade was at the head of the team." There was relief in Gaara's and Hinata's face. Even Naruto seemed grateful. "However," the room tensed again, "Neji has become mute… and will most likely never walk again.

Gaara's hand clenched, he looked upset. "What do you mean?"

"Tsunade doesn't think Neji's gone mute because of his injury, but out of shock. He's was awake for awhile and wasn't able to speak to Itachi or Tsunade at all. His leg, on the other hand, is because all the nerves in it his leg is dead. They may be hope, but I'm not a doctor, so I don't know. What it feels like to me is that Tsunade hasn't told Itachi whether it's possible that he'll walk if he has surgery on it or not."

"But he is alive and well," Hinata asked.

"He's alive," Sasuke nodded then sighed. "The other news is that we've managed to track down Orochimaru's train of thought. I'm guessing Kyuubi helped piece things together for them."

"Kyuubi?" Gaara and Hinata asked with a shocked tone.

Oh yeah, he only told Naruto that they found Kyuubi. "Yeah, they burst into where Orochimaru was hiding and found Kyuubi. Orochimaru is nowhere in sight though. However, we've pieced everything together and have some clues. However… we've got a situation."

"What is it?" Naruto asked, looking concerned.

Sasuke looked at him with deadly seriousness. "He knows about you, Naruto. He might come after you next."

Kiba tensed beside Naruto, but the blonde nodded, understanding. "What next?"

"Itachi is going to see about us all moving over to the Uchiha Clan Residence. That place pretty much has a steel barrier around it, so it would take a miracle for anyone to get to us."

There was a sudden silence before Hinata stood up, looking upset. "I don't want you going there," she said as calmly as she could. "That place has bad memories for you."

"I rather face bad memories than lose the ones I love," Sasuke countered.

"If Neji was here, he would stop you," Hinata pointed out, getting more emotional. "He wouldn't want his best friend going back to the place that started everything. He wouldn't want to see you hurt again by that man!"

"My father doesn't live there any more, just the rest of the Uchiha family. My father lives in the capital, and rarely ever goes back."

"That's a lie," it wasn't Hinata he spoke out, it was Gaara this time. "That's a terrible lie! You're father is emotionally unstable, has been for a long time. He isn't allowed to leave that place without an escort."

"That hasn't stopped him before," Sasuke pointed out, the words enough to stir horrible memories. "It never has stopped him."

"But to go somewhere where you'll be in more danger, isn't that senseless?" Hinata was really pushing Sasuke away from the idea.

However, Sasuke stood his ground firmly. "I don't want to lose anyone else!" he raised his voice, startling the group. "To lose the ones I love? You can't replace lost lives, Hinata! Neji is in _hospital_in a _critical_ state. Even though we have news he's awoken means nothing! He was shot, _in the __**chest**__,_ for crying out loud! I want to get everyone away from here before I lose someone else!" Sasuke hadn't realised he stood up in his fit of rage, hadn't realised that it made Hinata cry more.

"But isn't that just being selfish?"

Now who the hell spoke? At first, Sasuke thought it had been Hinata but instead, Kiba stood up and challenge his position.

"Isn't that selfish of you to act like you're the only one who's in pain? Everyone here has witnessed something yet you're acting like you're the only one hurt!"

"You have nothing to do with this."

"Like hell I do!" Kiba roared, clenching his fists tightly. "You prance around pretending to be on top of everyone else and fail to realise why no one wants you to go back. You think you need to _sacrifice_ yourself for the greater good but instead of protecting people, you're still hurting them. When _you_get hurt, other people hurt too!"

"It doesn't matter about me, this was my problem to begin with!"

"It's never _been_ your problem! It was everyone's problem. You selfishly dragged people into this because at the time you were trying to protect yourself, and then you shove those people away, those people who've been beside you since everything started just because you're too stupid to realise that you're hurting everyone by doing so! No one here wants you to get hurt, or die, Uchiha!"

It was strange hearing Kiba acting like this, and hearing him actually shouting made Sasuke take a step back. He stared at Kiba for a moment, feeling a little shocked that he'd lost his temper of something so trivial. He watched as Kiba's red face slowly reverted back to its normal light brown colour.

And he just stood there, feeling a little embarrassed of himself before he began to laugh.

_Really laughing._

Maybe he was going insane, but he wasn't really sure what it was that made him laugh. He sat down, pressing his hands to his face, unable to stop laughing.

And then the laugh turned into sobs and he began to shake. Was he really that selfish? "Sensei…" Naruto whispered, setting down beside Sasuke and resting his hand gently on his knee. "Are you ok?"

Sasuke couldn't speak and just shook his head. "Pull yourself together, Sasuke," Gaara knelt down in front of him, gently pulling away Sasuke's hands. "Calm down, take a few deep breaths." He turned to Hinata who was brushing away her own tears. "Get a glass of water for him," he asked quietly. She hesitated a mere moment before she moved into the kitchen. "Calm down, come on, Sasuke."

Sasuke just shook his head, hating the pity. He wasn't even sure why he was crying, it just happened. There was no explanation for it. Something in him broke, but he couldn't think what it was. He could name this feeling at all.

Was it desperation?

"Sensei," Hinata had given the glass to Naruto, who offered to him. "Come on, drink something."

He was desperate… there was no explanation behind this. He was seriously afraid of losing everyone. He just didn't want to go through the pain of that a second time. How could he explain that to them when he found himself fumbling over the words in his mind? He didn't accept the drink and tried to calm himself down. Biting down on his lip, he tried to stop the sobs, but he was struggling to regain control. Was it so wrong to want to protect those he loved?

"Please sensei…"

He finally managed to speak. "I'm not your sensei anymore," there was a little humour in the tone. That wiped relief over their faces. He was settling down.

Naruto smiled gently at him, helping Sasuke grip the cup. He took a shallow swallow of the water, doing his best to calm his breathing. He needed to think straight, and crying over it wasn't going to get him anywhere. What was he going to do, really going to do with this situation.

When he found his voice again, he finally spoke hoarsely "I know you are all worried about me, but truthfully, I'm going to have to face my father one day. I know now isn't the best time, but it's the only place I can think of where everyone will be safe. It's not because I'm being selfish or anything, it's just the simple fact that I don't want to see you get hurt… not again."

Gaara looked ready to argue, but a glance from Naruto shot him down. He took a deep breath before saying "that's fine in its own right, but it's too late to be thinking like that. We're all ready to put ourselves in danger to protect you, we promised you that back then, remember? Neji knew that promise, and he would be prepared to take it to the grave. However, if you really insist on going back home, then we'll go once Neji is out of hospital… actually, we're better discussing it with him."

Sasuke laughed weakly. "It'll be pointless… he's become mute, remember?"

"That still isn't fair on his behalf," Naruto said gently, stroking one of Sasuke's hands. "Neji cares for you, and he doesn't want you to face that part of your life yet."

It was funny how even Naruto seemed to know Neji better…

…It had to be his brain, really. He just wasn't thinking right, that was all?

"…I want to see Neji…" Sasuke finally whispered. "…I want to see him…"

"Then we'll go there" Gaara whispered gently. "We'll go there to see him, together."

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**A/N: It's been a while and for that, I'm sorry. I've actually been on Hiatus lately because I've had lack of inspiration and no time to write. I did get this chapter done which is a positive xD I hope you enjoy it and look forward to more soon (hopefully) R&R if you desire!**


	32. Chapter 30

**A/N: Is-Is it real? Is this really chapter 30? Well, yes, it is! It's short, but I thought I needed to update this. I had such an encouraging review some time ago (you know who you are ;) ) and today I was like "THAT'S IT! I MUST UPDAAAAATEE!" And thus, Chapter 30 came to life. Life has been terrible the last few months, and admittedly, I'm updating fanfictions instead of finishing off my assignment that's due less than 48 hours from now =.= I haven't even started it... I'm so dead!**

**Thank you so much to everyone who's reading and still reading this. I hope you enjoy this small, short chapter :) I'll write more soon!**

**DISCLAIMER: After 29 chapters of lacking a disclaimer, I want to announce this... I've never owned Naruto :( Never will. Plot however... is mine... o.O Scary, right. I actually own SOMETHING of this story xD**

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**Chapter Thirty**

_I had a dream._

_This place, it's more peaceful here than out there. All the noises of the outside world have died. I can't hear those annoying, abusing voices anymore. It's safe here._

_Staring up at the dreamscape sky, I'd come to wonder whether this was really the end. Laying on the sandy shores, the cool breeze… it was so real and warm here. I've never really felt this kind of warmth here like I have out there. Not even in his arms. It's different, not as protective, yet still protecting me from all the harm._

_Was this what death was like? Would I meet Gaara here too…?_

_Gaara… Gaara…_

_I couldn't move, it was so painful to move, so all I could do was stare up at the sky, feeling tears in my eyes. Was Gaara alive? Did Sasuke save him in time? All I wanted to know if he was alright, that he would live on if I didn't make it._

_I wanted to see him… my heart was aching for him…_

…_But I somehow knew that Gaara never really loved me like he loved that boy. I was a shadow of him, and nothing more than that. I'll always be that…_

…_Maybe it was better, just giving up, just dying here. Maybe… just maybe there was something better after death._

_Gaara would be happy if I never came back. I knew better than anyone that he would no longer feel the burden of our past on his shoulders. He could great things, impressive things with me no longer holding him back._

_Same with Hinata…_

…_And with Sasuke._

_Hinata would take the family next, she'd have more power than she could dream of. She'd do all those up class things that he did, and enjoy them more than he did._

_Sasuke would continue his teaching career and who knows where his writing career would take him. There was so much more he was going to see. He would grow strong just because of these experiences._

_Yes, this was for the best. I would no longer burden Gaara, burden Hinata… burden Sasuke._

…_Sasuke…_

_There had been a stage where I would have admitted I wished I'd been with Sasuke rather than Gaara. Sasuke had been there since my youth, knew him better than he knew himself, as he knew me in the same way. We were part of the same story, the same outline…_

…_But my story was going a different direction… it was going to end._

_I closed my eyes and sighed to myself. I was ready to face death's iron doors. I was ready to admit I had nothing more to do in this world… nothing at all._

…_Hinata…_

…_Sasuke…_

…_And Gaara…_

_Thank you, I love you all._

_Truly, I truly do love you and will always be with you._

_Yes… I knew these words would never reach my lips that they would never hear it, but I was content with that knowledge. It would have ruined my pride if I ever let that slip._

_I laid there for a long moment when my hand tingled, startling me. I was hearing voices now, outside voices. No! I wanted to die here! I don't want to be apart of that world! I want to be-_

"…_Neji…"_

…_Why? Why was I hearing his voice…?_

…_Gaara…_

…_Gaara…!_

…_**GAARA**__…!_

* * *

It was the same dream again… this was just getting annoying. How many times was he going to be dragged back to this hell hole? Neji stared up at the hospital ceiling, frowning at it horrible white colour. It was depressing seeing it, knowing that he may be confined to this damn bed for the rest of his life. He would never to speak or walk again. Never would he take strolls in the gardens at Sasuke's place and admire the roses. Never would he go for long walks around the city, just to kill time. Never would he stand up in front of his class and talk about all the interesting facts and stories he knew.

That hurt… it really hurt inside that he would never teach again.

That was why he accepted death over this. It was such a pain to be alive, never being able to recover. Never being-

Something shifted beside him, startling him enough to turn his head. Resting on the left side of the bed was a mob of red hair…

…Gaara…?

Gaara was alive… he was alive!

He glanced to his other side after another shift, frowning even more.

…Sasuke…?

Why were these two idiots here for? He couldn't see Hinata or Naruto anywhere – he was sure they'd be with them – and wondered if these too came alone. But… never mind that…

Gaara was alive. Sasuke had saved Gaara and he was still alive.

He sniffled when he felt his eyes water. Suddenly, he felt the need to stay alive because they were here, supporting him. They wanted him to live, and that meant everything to him.

Weakly, he raised his hand to ruffle Sasuke's hair, clenching Gaara's hand in the other. He wondered if it was going to wake them, but the two were peacefully sleep beside him. Their backs were going to hurt in the morning, but he would let them be. He liked the company rather than the horrible hospital staff who negatively had been saying he'd never walk, never talk again.

With them here, a little bit of hope grew.

Something stirred in the room.

He turned to face Sasuke who was weakly opening his eyes. He sat up, rubbing them. "I didn't think you'd wake," Sasuke replied gently, staring sleepily at Neji. "I'm glad you've woken. It's been two days since we arrived."

_Two days? They've been here for two days?_

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke replied as if he read Neji's mind. "We did go home and shower, so we're not smelly."

_Thank god for that._

"How are you feeling?" Sasuke asked, standing up enough to stretch before sitting on the edge of the bed, running a hand through Neji's hair. "Feel a little better now? You've been crying in your sleep for awhile now."

Had he? Neji didn't realise he'd been until now. Still, he couldn't really answer Sasuke's question, so he looked away, nodding slightly.

"I talked to Tsunade, she said it may be possible that you'll speak again, and she's pretty keen you'll walk again too." Neji's eyes shot to Sasuke, sparkling with hope. Sasuke gently smiled down at him. "I know you will, Neji. Gaara and I will be beside you all the way. You know that."

Neji's eyes floated down as it sank in. There was hope, and it was going to be a long process, but there was still hope for him. He was going to walk again.

"We're going to the Uchiha Clan house… it's the safest place to be at the moment."

Now Neji began to panic. With his free hand, he grabbed Sasuke's shirt and shook his head. _We can't go there! Your father… your father!_

"It's ok… Itachi will be there. It's safer there Neji, trust me, it will be. Once this blows over, we can come back here. It'll also be a nice place for you to recover. The open land, the cool air, the beautiful landscape… It's better than being cramped up here."

Neji would admit, it was probably a lot better than being here, but he was still unsure he really _wanted_ Sasuke to be there. However, he could tell by the look in Sasuke's eyes that he wasn't going to change his mind. In Sasuke's eyes, he held something important that only Neji could really see.

It was a plan that Sasuke was preparing that someone involved them being in a certain place at a certain time.

Neji guessed, he was the only who knew what Sasuke _really_ had planned.


	33. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One**

The car trip had been long, and neither he nor Sasuke had spoken to each other. Kiba had suddenly disappeared and wasn't in range of contact and fear boiled Naruto's blood as he wondered what had happened to his best friend. There was nothing he could do, and in the end, he had to give up on the idea that Kiba wasn't coming with them.

However, it didn't change the awkwardness of the car drive. Behind them was Gaara's car, which was carrying Hinata and Neji as well. Every now and then Hinata phoned about having a break from driving, and only a few times did Sasuke actually listen to her. There were no reasons behind what was worrying everyone, but it soon dawned on him when they arrived at their destination.

The first thing Naruto saw was a gate large than a two story house. It dawned on him that the Uchiha family was very rich, and this was to be expected. What came next was just as wonderful. The outside of the buildings was beautiful traditional Japanese homes, yet there were slight variations with the gardens and the drive way. There were a few cars already here, which must belong to family members.

"Don't be too loud, we don't want to disturb too many people. I'll take you towards the house which used to house my family. Father only returns here every now and then, so it'll be empty," Sasuke finally said as he hopped from the car. Naruto quickly followed the suit and joined him at the boot of the car. Gaara's car pulled up along side them as they began to unload the car. No one really spoke, and Gaara and Sasuke fussed over Neji, trying to get him into the wheelchair despite the silent protests. Hinata seemed a little anxious as well.

It was soon forgotten when an old lady came to greet them. Sasuke introduced her as the "house keeper" of this particular home, but stated no name. It was clear she wasn't to be addressed as anyone but "ma'am". There was distance between them that Naruto couldn't quite place.

The house keeper lead them towards a small house nearer the gardens, leading them into what would formally be known as the receiving room. It was easy to tell the house had been modified for someone in Neji's situation. Once again, things remained a mystery to him.

"I will be in the main house as requested by your brother. If there is any concerns, please come find me," the house keeper said formally before leaving them on their own.

"You asked your brother for no interferences, huh?" Gaara asked, sitting down on the couch. "A lot of things changed since University. Doesn't feel so… traditional anymore."

"After mother's accident, a lot of things changed," Sasuke admitted.

"What accident?" Naruto asked, but no one answered him. They just continued discussing about arrangements and setting up the room. It was annoying that he was being ignored, but only then did he realise Neji was staring at him. There was a need in him to say something, but because of being mute due to shock, he wasn't able to do anything.

_What are they hiding from me?_ Naruto wondered once again, but he didn't get time to speak when the door opened, revealing Itachi looking rather stern. There was a sharp look shared between Gaara and him, but nothing was said. Instead, he stared at Sasuke. "Talk, now," he said before storming away. Sasuke followed moments later, and once he did, Naruto spoke out again.

"What accident?" he asked against, staring straight at Gaara.

Gaara cleared his throat awkwardly, but did not answer. "It's not like we can't tell you, Naruto," Hinata replied softly, moving closer to him. "It's just… not something we like to talk about, really."

"What happened?" Naruto pushed again, this time receiving a sigh and no answer from Hinata.

Angry, Naruto stood up and stormed towards the door. "Then I'll ask Sasuke!"

He didn't get a chance to when Gaara shot up from his chair and stopped him dead. "Don't ask him. It's worse for him to talk about it than it is for us."

"Then why-"

"It's none of your business."

Naruto remained frozen for a while, staring into Gaara's serious eyes. It was none of his business… so now he discovered the line between them. Naruto was to remain silent and act like there was nothing different… now was he?

* * *

"How are you finding it," Sasuke's gentle voice startled Naruto as he changed for bed. Looking away, Naruto focused on himself, feeling frustrated. Gaara had made it clear that he had to keep his mouth shut and only speak when spoken too. Somehow, he felt a gap growing, and it was scaring him.

"It's fine, different from what I expected though."

"I can imagine. A lot of things changed over the years…"

"Was it because of the _accident_?" Naruto asked, looking Sasuke in the eye. At first, he thought he would see pain, but he received a dangerous look.

"Yes, after the accident."

"What accident?" Naruto asked gently, stepping forward. "You know I don't want to be kept in the dark."

"I know, but this is something you better not get involved in. You're involved enough," Sasuke replied with equal – if not forced – gentleness. "How did your father react to you coming here? I bet he was upset about it."

"No, he wasn't. A little surprised, but not upset. But he did mutter something…" Naruto stared at him, smiled sweetly then turned away. "Not that you need to know what he said, considering your keeping secrets."

"Naruto…" Sasuke warned, approaching Naruto with long strides. "What did your father say?"

"It's not any of your business."

Naruto turned back, almost shrieking when he realised how close Sasuke had gotten. He should have been paying attention. "I won't ask again."

"Why does it matter? It's not important!" Naruto yelled, feeling the frustration wash over him. "I don't have to tell you anything. Why should I when you're keeping secrets from me? I refuse to tell you anything until I hear what this accident is about!"

"It's not important!"

"And neither is mine!" Naruto yelled back.

They were stuck in a stalemate. Silently, Sasuke took a few breaths to settle himself down before he held out his hand. "Naruto, I can't tell you about something I don't remember."

Now Naruto felt bad, reflecting back on Gaara's words. "You… don't remember?"

"No, I can't remember what happened, but I know it was something bad. Everyone was forced to be silent about it; even my mother wouldn't tell me what happened." Sasuke's voice was sincere, but somehow, Naruto didn't trust his eyes. There was a lie somewhere… or he was lying through his teeth. Naruto glanced at Sasuke's hand and stepped away.

"Since climbing out of the car today, I've realised just how much I can't trust you. Somehow, I feel I'm caught up in a lie you've spun around me."

"I haven't lied to you," Sasuke seemed too pushy with his words.

"It doesn't feel like that. There's a gap, Sasuke. It's between everyone and me, and I have a right to know why I'm being pushed away. If no one wants me here, then I'll go home."

Sasuke shifted uneasily suddenly, his face changing as if a mask fell from his face. "Please Naruto, I promise you I haven't been lying. Please, just… just don't ask about the accident. I'll tell you anything else, but I can't tell you about that."

"Then why are you so pushy about my father?"

There was no mistaking the uneasiness in Sasuke's expression. "…Kiba's disappearance… is connected to your father's."

"My father's what…?"

"Naruto, your father's missing."

* * *

**A/N: LE GASP! Naruto's father is missing!**


	34. Chapter 32

**A/N: The story is slowly heading to its conclusion D: How sad and tragic!**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

What was he going to do? Everyone told him to leave Naruto alone (well, actually, Gaara and Itachi did), but... he felt obliged to do _something_, rather than just standing out in the hallways while Naruto sobbed in the bedroom. A few hours ago, Sasuke had told Naruto his father was missing; the blonde had stormed all the way to Itachi's office and demanded answers. By the time Sasuke had joined them Naruto had burst out the room in tears and ran away. He got told off by Itachi for telling Naruto and found himself locked out of Itachi's office.

Now he was standing outside his and Naruto's bedroom like an idiot who'd been scorned by his parents and kicked out. A few times he'd paced in front of the door, but pacing just annoyed him further. So, he wandered the place about twice until he came back to the same locked door and groaned.

He was becoming an idiot...

Walking back towards the gardens, he'd noticed Neji sitting in the garden, without his wheelchair, which had been left on the walkway that circled around the house. Gaara was nowhere in sight.

Jumping down, he walked up to Neji who turned to face him. He knew Neji wouldn't be able to answer questions, but he needed company... _badly_. This whole place put him on edge, and it was only a matter of time before his father returned and demanded to see him. Itachi, Gaara or Neji wouldn't be able to protect him if that was the case.

Neji slowly smiled when he got close, patting the spot next to him. It seemed even he was looking for someone. "It's unusual to see you alone, is something wrong?"

Neji shook his head as Sasuke sat down beside him, and rested his head against his shoulder. He'd pulled the left pant leg up, caressing the bullet hole just above his knee. His face tensed when he brushed too close, but that was all.

"It doesn't look as bad as I thought," Sasuke murmured, feeling Neji nod.

They were silent for a long time before they noticed someone approached. Sasuke turned to face Naruto, whose eyes were red. He held his arm out, letting Naruto curl up on his other side of him.

"Things will get better," he told them both. "It'll take time, but things will get better."

An hour past before Sasuke realised they'd both fallen asleep at his side. Gaara had also approached by this stage. He'd picked up Neji and took him back to their room. Sasuke decided to move Naruto who'd stirred when he noticed Gaara was just leaving. He didn't protest when Sasuke moved him, thankfully.

Once Naruto was in bed, he and Gaara met up, pouring large glasses of alcohol out. They sat there in silence before Itachi joined them. "Any news on Minato?" Sasuke had to ask, watching Gaara's face tense a little.

"Nothing, but we've talked to Jiraiya about it. He said Minato started acting weird just after Naruto left and disappeared, but that was all he could give us." Itachi poured himself a glass of wine, and begun to swish it gently in his glass as he turned to face them. "I'd appreciated it if Naruto doesn't hear any more about this than he does knows. Understand?"

Both nodded slowly as Itachi sank down on the last free seat. "What about Orochimaru?"

"Want the good news or the bad news?" Itachi asked slowly, turning to Gaara who'd spoke. There was bitterness between them, but all in all, things between them were better than Sasuke expected.

"What's the bad news?" Sasuke spoke up, receiving his brother's attention. He could see Gaara was grateful for that.

"He's still nowhere to be found, however, the good news is, we might have tracked down someone who spotted him recently. We won't know until tomorrow morning if the person was right or not."

If they did find the man, he'd just run again and if they didn't find him... either way, they'd be at square one again. "What will you do once you find him?"

"We're not sure yet," it was a lie.

Sasuke accepted that and stood, placing his empty cup down. "I don't know about you two, but I'm going to retire to my room. If there is anything, let me know."

Gaara left with him, clearly not wanting to stay with the man alone long. "Will everything be alright?" Gaara asked him quietly as they walked towards their rooms.

"I hope so, but who knows. Whatever happens here on, all I can say is that Orochimaru is a dead man."

Little did Sasuke expect that he was very right?

* * *

_That night, Naruto had a disturbing dream. He was staring up for some reason, his vision splattered with grey blobs. The room was dark and dingy, and very cold. He was awfully cold. For a moment he didn't understand where he was until he realised he was struggling to breath. Something was wrong, very wrong._

_He heard footsteps and a chuckled, one distant and cold. "You think I'd let you get away with killing her? You've become foolish in your old age, old man."_

_Suddenly, all Naruto could see was man's face... no! He knew that face! No! It couldn't be..._

_'...Dad...?'_

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he tried to regain his breath. He felt like he was choking, that something was choking him. Yanking his shirt off, he tried to take deep breaths, tried to regain control of his breathing.

Sasuke stirred slightly beside him, but didn't move. Naruto watched him for a moment before he fell back down onto the bed, raising his arm over his face, covering his eyes. What a horrible dream that was. He must be going insane to think his father would do something like that.

He felt himself slipping back to sleep when the sound of running feet made him sit back up and stare at his door. The running got closer and Naruto became edgy.

Suddenly, the door burst off its hinges (figuratively, of course) and Gaara stood in the door way, breathing heavily. Sasuke stirred again, sitting up with a yawn. "What in the name of hell is going on?" he grumbled, glaring at their intruder.

"They found Orochimaru!"

Sasuke was out of bed seconds flat, pulling on a shirt. "Where?!"

"I don't know, but Itachi's really freaking out!"

Before Naruto could ask what was going on, Sasuke had pulled on pants and was out the door, disappearing with Gaara. Groaning, Naruto retrieved his shirt and slipped out of bed, walking briskly towards the noise when a pillow came out an open doorway, scaring Naruto witless.

Turning, he noticed a rather annoyed Neji sitting in bed, glaring at him. _What did I..._ he noticed then and there the wheelchair was out of reach and retrieved it, helping his former sensei into it and pushing him down towards the noise. Neji looked equally worried all of a sudden when raised voices began to argue.

_"Dead?! You found him dead?!"_

_"That's what I said, Sasuke, dead! He was shot right between the eyes."_

_"Impossible! Even we couldn't find him, how the hell did anyone else find him before us? You've got connections."_

_"Calm down Sasuke, remember, Orochimaru is a wanted man."_

_"That changes nothing! Itachi, I want to see proof. I want to go to where you found his body!"_

_"I can't do that, Sasuke."_

_"Like hell you ca-"_

Naruto jumped as Neji picked up the nearest vase and slung it down the hallway, shattering at the doorway where the three argued. They turned towards them, looking equally startled. "H-Hyuuga-sensei..." Naruto choked, moving down beside him. It was then when he realised he was crying.

Gaara and Sasuke joined them a moment later, kneeling down beside the man. "Hush, I know what you're thinking," Gaara spoke, rubbing his hand softly. Itachi followed up behind them.

"Who killed him?" Naruto asked, watching Itachi's face darken.

"We aren't sure..."

"But?"

Much to their surprise, Itachi continued. "But we found a strand of hair at the scene that isn't Orochimaru's."

"Do you know whose it is?"

"Not at this time. We need to have tests done before we can work out who it was. We did, in fact, clean the scene before the police arrived, so if there's any damaging evidence, the police won't find it."

Naruto nodded slowly, looking back at Sasuke who was watching him. Suddenly, Naruto grabbed his arm and lead him away, despite the other's protest.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't sure what was bothering Naruto, but he could tell there was something there. The blonde had begun pacing their bedroom the moment they got there, looking distressed. "What's wrong...?"

"I had a dream, a scary dream that seems too real."

"Dreams are just-"

"Listen to me, Sasuke! I know who killed Orochimaru!"

"_What?_"

Naruto stopped pacing, grabbed his shoulders and said very slowly "I saw dad... I saw him standing over someone. I don't know who, I couldn't see their face, but it was a man. Dad kept calling him 'old man'."

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them, embracing Naruto. "For now, just think of it as a dream. Don't work yourself up over it, ok?"

For a moment, Naruto wanted to shove Sasuke away for not believing in him... but he stood there, letting Sasuke hold him. He hoped he was wrong.


	35. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

It was only a day later when they heard who the person who'd killed Orochimaru was. When Sasuke heard the news, he decided to avoid telling Naruto and choose to pace his room. Thankfully, Naruto had been wrong, the hair hadn't been his father's, but whose it was made him worry more.

Gaara had found him a little while later, holding his mobile. After consoling with Sakura, who'd been left out of the loop, Sasuke decided to wander the main house. He paced the parameter for a few hours before he came to stop in front of a room which was his father's study. Itachi had pulled him away a couple hours early, explaining their father had returned with interesting news to follow. Being well kept from the media's eyes and ears, Sasuke had found out his father had _changed_ after counselling. To why his father had counselling was beyond him, but if he had changed…?

No, Sasuke turned away and returned to his room where he spent a few hours' playing cards with Naruto before letting the blonde retire. He was again found pacing the main house, unable to settle his own thoughts.

When he finally realised where he wandered to, he found he couldn't leave it. He was, again, in front of his father's study, with the exception. He'd come face to face with his father.

His father sat on the walk away, a long pipe settled in his hand as he watched the sky. He didn't turn his attention to his son, but acknowledged him. "You seem troubled."

"I would be… ending up this close to you," Sasuke choked, suddenly feeling dirty. "Heard you were seeing a counsellor, care to share why?"

His father evaded the question. "Orochimaru's dead?"

"Yes, he is."

"Thought so, glad to see the bastard finally gone."

"That's a surprised since you two were once business partners," Sasuke pointed out.

"No, he was never a business partner to me, but to Minato."

Naruto's father. Sasuke took a deep breath in and gave a thought to that. "Minato's alive."

"I know, we've spoken."

Sasuke was startled. How did he know, when they had kept their mouths shut?

"He's grown cold, Minato. Something's changing in him."

"You killed his wife and tried to kill him."

"No, that was Orochimaru as well."

Well, he'll be damned. "Then… what was your part in this?"

"I did nothing, that's what. I should have done something, but I turned a blind eye." Fugaku smoked his pipe in silence for a moment before he glanced at Sasuke for the first time that night. "I know this is late, but I'm sorry."

Now Sasuke was worried. His father was-

"I've destroyed your life," his words were filled with deep remorse. "I hurt you and your brother, and your mother as well. I just wish… I could take things back, but then again, it was probably the drugs."

"D-Drugs?"

"Orochimaru worked secretly with the black markets, and convinced me into trying them. All the things I did, was because of them. Nothing can take back the time I've lost, not even with the little time I have left."

A sudden chill ran down Sasuke's spine. "What do you mean?"

"I haven't been seeing a counsellor, but someone to sort out the will. My own death is around the corner, and I must leave behind something for you and your brother. At least… just enough to know you two will be alright in the future… you and your partner."

Somehow, Sasuke wondered his he'd guessed. "You know I'm seeing someone."

"Naruto, Minato's son. I expected as much, considering I, too, had feelings for Minato at some stage. I stepped away, since he was in love with Kushina. I choose your mother later on, not because I felt depressed about losing Minato, but I generally cared for her. She and Kushina grew close, and I know deep down, she wished Kushina had never been killed."

"But it's too late for that now."

"Yes, it is." Both fell silent while Fugaku finished what was left in his pipe. He stood up and gently placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "I can't take back the things I have done, but I want you to know, that no matter what you choose, I will always be proud of you, both you and your brother." And then he disappeared into his study. Little did Sasuke know that would be the last time he would speak to his father.

The next day, the news of Fugaku death reached the house ears. Instead of being killed by the aftermath of the drugs, he committed suicide. Sasuke heard his father wore a smile, and for the first time in his life, Sasuke felt free. For the first time, he cried for his father. There was so much more he wanted to ask, but knew he would never know the answers to.

* * *

Time passed and soon the funeral for Fugaku had been and gone and yet still they remained trapped in the family house. Sasuke tried to focus on his new novel, but found everything was becoming grey. Depression, he'd experienced it once before, and knew he was burdening himself with unnecessarily things. Naruto happily went on, unable to spot what was wrong with Sasuke. That was fine, he found the solitude he got every now and then peaceful, but it allowed him to notice he pain more.

Lying on the bed, Sasuke finally decided he needed to act on the cause of this and left his room late that night, long after everyone had gone to sleep. Sasuke knew what he had to do, in order to protect Naruto.

Sasuke had almost made it to the front entrance when something smashed into the back of his head. Turning around with a curse, he came across Neji, who had wheeled himself to the entrance, or as close as he could. They stared at each other for a long moment before Sasuke sighed and approached. "I bet you're angry, right? I brought you all here to protect you and then I decide to run away."

Neji's face stiffened and he tried to stand up, startling Sasuke to race to him and catch him before he fell. He swore but Neji choked out, unformed words, strong enough to suggest deep anger.

When Neji refused to let Sasuke help him back on the wheelchair, he helped him to a couch chair in a nearby room. Neji once again tried to say something but nothing formed. His eyes filled with tears of frustration.

Sasuke sat there in silence before something clicked inside, something that wasn't being said but didn't need to be said. He was depressed, sure, but there was something deeper here. He stared at Neji who was still trying to speak what was on his mind, watching him grow angry with himself.

And he laughed, startling Neji. Pressing his face to the others knee, he laughed bitterly. "We're so weak, us humans. We can't even protect the things precious, run away from our troubles, grow selfish and forget that there are people worse off than us." He laughed again. "That's what you wanted to say, I guess? You're worse off than me, but you are facing it… no, you're forced to face it. What you have isn't something that can be brushed aside, yet someone like me who can turn a blind eye tries to run away."

Neji gently patted him on the head. When had he become so selfish? Something was whispered, something Sasuke could barely distinct but some part of him knew what was being said. He smiled softly, and then sighed.

"Should I tell Naruto… about who was behind Orochimaru's death?" He looked up at Neji who shook his head.

"How about you and I go and look for him," a new voice filled the room as Gaara approached, pushing the empty wheelchair. "If you need to get away for a while, then we'll head off and look for clues."

Neji made a noise, but Sasuke understood Gaara's aim. "We'll it be safe to leave-"

"There's something deeper here, something we need to uncover. I think the best place to look is at your family business. You're father may have left something."

Sasuke glanced at Neji then stood. "Alright, but what about Itachi?"

"Get him to find the murderer," Gaara glanced at Neji. "We're going to need Kakashi as well."

Sasuke understood that. "Alright, but will-"

"I have an idea," Gaara said softly. "But we need to speak to Naruto first."

Speak to him about what?

* * *

**A/N: I don't normally like posting notes up in my stories like this but I have to come out straight.**

**I'm not going trying to make an excuse, but my love for this story has disappeared over the past two years. Back when I started this story, I was still very passionate about SasuNaru, but many things have changed in the last two years, such as my passion for Naruto in general has disappeared because I'm just so disappointed in the manga. Even though two years ago, I felt very similar (my interest began to vanish in the early stages of this fanfic) I was still crazy about this pairing and this story. I can't say I've matured, but I can say my interests have changed.**

**The thing is, I don't think I'm going to finish this story any time soon, but I will try and post random chapters every now and then because I hate leaving stories incomplete. This story is, however, nearly finished. I might get finished in the next coming months, but I can't promise anything, I'm sorry. I do want to see this story completed, trust me.**

**I hope I haven't disappointed to many people. Thank you to everyone whose stuck through this story and my dreadful writing haha.**

**~MotherNight92**


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